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Marco Pagani, GEM Hazard Coordinator presented the global earthquake hazard and risk model to key public officials in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. About 20 officials participated in the seminar held at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia on May 23rd 2019.

The seminar and meeting was convened by Professor Azlan Adnan, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Key participants included Dr. Zamri Bin Ramli, Deputy Director, Department of Minerals and Geoscience, Malaysia; Engr. Mohd Nor Azudin, Department of Public Works, Malaysia; Prof. Felix Tongkul, University of Malaysia, Sabah; Dr. Mohamad Bin Abd Manap, Department of Meteorology, Malaysia; and Engr. Hanafi Yusop, TNB Research Center (National Electric Power Company). Other senior representatives from universities and government departments also joined the seminar.

A meeting followed the seminar where John Schneider, GEM Secretary General and Marco Pagani discussed potential collaboration between Malaysian experts and GEM, and leveraging GEM's international partnerships. Among the topics discussed were training of engineers and scientists in the use and application of OpenQuake; a project to revise the Malaysian national hazard model using OpenQuake tools; a project to test, revise, and improve GEM's current assessment of seismic risk at the national level; and consultancies to assess site-specific hazard or risk to the electric power and other critical infrastructure.

They also discussed potential long-term collaboration via sponsorship. However, the main immediate need expressed by the key officials was to organize an OpenQuake training in Kuala Lumpur in the early fall this year.

Prof. Adnan led a delegation last year in Pavia, Italy to visit and learn more about GEM’s earthquake studies, which paved the way to move forward with collaborative and joint activities this year.

Related articles can be found here – April 2018 visit by Malaysian delegates and May 2018 GEM’s visit to Malaysia.