On October 8, 2005 an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 (M w ) struck the Kashmir region of Pakistan causing widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure. This paper summarizes field observations of building damage made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) after the event, where the performance of residential, commercial and government buildings was investigated. A study of the seismic design provisions currently in place in Pakistan is presented and compared with seismic provisions of EC8 (1998) and UBC (1997). Several problems are identified for the implementation of the Pakistan seismic code in its current form and recommendations are made for its improvement in order to be used for the reconstruction of affected areas.

On December 26, 2004 a great earthquake (M W 9.3) occurred off the western coast of Sumatra triggering a series of tsunami waves that propagated across the Indian Ocean causing damage and life loss in 12 countries. This paper summarizes the observations of lifeline performance, building damage and its distribution, and the social and economic impact of the tsunami made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) in Thailand and Sri Lanka. EEFIT operates under the umbrella of the UK's Institution of Structural Engineers. It is observed that good engineering practice can reduce economic losses, but additional measures are required to reduce risk to life.

On April 6, 2009 an earthquake of Magnitude 6.2 (M w ) struck the Abbruzzo region of Italy causing widespread damage to buildings in the city of L'Aquila and surrounding areas. This paper summarizes field observations made by the Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) after the event. The paper presents an overview of seismological and geotechnical aspects of the earthquake as well as a summary of the observed damage to buildings and infrastructure. A brief overview of the earthquake casualties is also reported.

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