Pre-symposium International Training Course

The devastation and unprecedented death tall recorded from Asian earthquake and Tsunami event in 2004 December as well as the devastating earthquake event in Pakistan 2005 highlighted the need for building the capacity for earthquake and tsunami vulnerability reduction in the region. Therefore Pre-symposium International Training course on Earthquake and Tsunami and Vulnerability Reduction for Cities (EVRC) will be organized by the Asian Seismological Commission (ASC) in collaboration with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) Bangkok and International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observations (ITC) – Netherlands at the ADPC, Asian Institute of Technology campus, Bangkok Thailand during the period 24 October 2006 to 6 November 2006. It is expected that 25 – 30 participants from the ASC member countries will participate in the training course. The Course builds on past and enduring endeavors such as Asian Urban Disaster mitigation Program implemented by ADPC, Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI), UN, IDNDR, ISDR initiative for Risk Assessment Tools for diagnosis or Urban Areas against Seismic Disasters (RADIUS) and Global Earthquake Safety Initiative (GESI) Launched by UNCRD and Geo-Hazard International.

The Course is designed to provide greater understanding of the causes and effects of earthquakes and tsunami and how to mitigate such impacts in order to reduce damage and loss of lives from these destructive events.

The Course intends to assist seismologists, geologists, earthquake engineers, policymakers, administrators and officials from provincial and city administrators, development & planning authorities national level ministries, departments & institutions dealing with urban planning, development, housing, infrastructure, public work, utilities, waterworks, drainage, private sector corporations, builders, infrastructure developers, insurance companies, elected representative from cities & towns, emergency responses agencies and emergency planners, relief and rehabilitation agencies, UN agencies and international organizations, NGOs working on disaster mitigation particularly on earthquake mitigation.

Course contents :

- Overview on urbanization, urban hazards, vulnerabilities, risk and disaster management

- Earthquake hazard and risk assessment methods

- Earthquake vulnerabilities

- Earthquake vulnerability assessment methods

- Planning for vulnerability reduction of tsunami and earthquake

- Implementation of vulnerability reduction programs

Course purposes : The course aspires to provide

- Training on earthquake and tsunami vulnerability reduction strategies

- Know-how on the development of organized approaches for earthquake and tsunami vulnerability reduction

- Knowledge and skills for implementation of mitigation initiatives

- Appreciation of risk communication

- Analysis of the need to develop multi-sectoral partnerships for successful implementation of mitigation measures

- Field exposure to ongoing mitigation work

AGU Travel Grants

__________________

Organizer:

Asian Seismological Commission (ASC), IASPEI

Co-organizers:

	Thai Meteorological Department (TMD)
	National Earthquake Committee of Thailand (NECT)
	Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT)
	Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)