News GEM and NormanMax Partner to Reduce Earthquake Risk By: Jul 9, 2024 Jun 28, 2024 Share Facebook LinkedIn The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation and NormanMax Insurance Solutions - a global leader in parametric insurance solutions have signed a sponsor agreement to help improve earthquake preparedness, recovery, and risk reduction worldwide. This collaborative effort, spanning from 2024 to 2027, underscores the shared commitment of both organisations to minimising earthquake losses and improving seismic risk assessments around the world. "At GEM, we strive to create open, transparent, and scientifically robust earthquake hazard and risk models. By partnering with NormanMax Insurance Solutions, a leading provider of parametric earthquake insurance solutions, we aim to bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and practical financial protection against the damaging effects of earthquakes around the world”, said Helen Crowley, GEM Secretary General. The agreement acknowledges the importance of a wide range of solutions for mitigating seismic risk, including improved building codes, emergency response plans, land-use planning and financial risk transfer. By supporting GEM's development of open-source software and global hazard and risk models, NormanMax will be contributing to achieving these goals. "NormanMax is deeply committed to supporting innovative solutions that reduce earthquake risk," stated Bradley Meier, CEO of NormanMax Insurance Solutions. "We are proud to partner with the GEM Foundation in their mission to enhance public understanding of seismic hazard and risk and empower communities and businesses with the tools they need to be prepared in the face of potential earthquakes. This aligns with our goal of helping global insureds reduce the protection gap through effective risk transfer products for earthquakes." The GEM and NormanMax partnership highlights the importance of collaboration between scientific and financial sectors in addressing global earthquake risk. Together, our organisations will help advance the development and application of pioneering risk assessment tools and resources, contributing to safer, more resilient communities worldwide. By combining GEM's expertise in seismic modeling with NormanMax's parametric insurance solutions, this alliance promises to set new standards in earthquake preparedness and recovery, ensuring a brighter and more secure future for all. About NormanMax Insurance Solutions NormanMax Insurance Solutions, located in Miami, Florida, is the coverholder for Lloyd’s of London NormanMax Syndicate 3939 utilizing revolutionary insurance technology to provide the best insurance solutions to our clients and provide an unparalleled customer service experience. With unrivaled parametric insurance solutions for hurricanes and earthquakes – and many more parametric solutions on the horizon – NormanMax Insurance Solutions provides clients with peace of mind for challenging natural catastrophes in an ever-hardening insurance marketplace. For more information, visit: https://www.normanmaxinsurancesolutions.com/ No images found. GALLERY 1/1 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News GEM Foundation Awarded Grant by Google Season of Docs Project By: Dec 14, 2023 Nov 21, 2023 Share Facebook LinkedIn November 21, 2023. The GEM Foundation was selected to participate in the Google Season of Docs (GSoD) 2023 program in June, securing funds to hire a technical writer to streamline the documentation of the OpenQuake Engine. This initiative aims to consolidate fragmented documentation into a unified website, enhancing accessibility for both novice and experienced users. Despite the widespread adoption and substantial impact of the OpenQuake Engine within the earthquake science and engineering community over the past decade, certain aspects, particularly documentation, have faced challenges. With a small team of fewer than 30 employees, only a few solely dedicated to engine development, documentation varied across multiple platforms, including GitHub repositories, HTML documents, video tutorials, and PDF explanations. The primary objective of this documentation project was to restructure and unify all existing information into a cohesive site. Following other popular open-source documentation examples, the GEM Foundation reorganised the documentation, which is now available live at docs.openquake.org/oq-engine-new/master/manual/ . To gauge user satisfaction with the engine documentation, a survey was conducted among OpenQuake users before the project initiation in June. Results revealed that while most users were aware of the engine users’ manual, awareness about the advanced users’ manual and underlying seismic hazard and risk analysis books was limited. By centralising all resources into a single website, GEM aims to address these awareness gaps among users. A follow-up survey was distributed in November to evaluate the impact of the improvements on user satisfaction and to gauge the effectiveness of the revamped documentation. In the initial survey, the perception score on user experience was 3.27, while the updated documentation received an overall score of 4.13, indicating a comparative improvement of 26%, slightly below the 30% target. The user experience satisfaction is expected to further improve in the coming months as changes and enhancements are finalised, also thanks to contributions from the USAID - Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance-supported Forecasting and Communicating Earthquake Hazard and Risk (FORCE) Project and a collaboration with the European Facilities for Earthquake Hazard and Risk (EFEHR) . No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

Seismic Regulations for Argentina Overview This page describes the seismic regulations that have been introduced in Argentina since 1970, along with the seismic zonation maps associated with each code, and our estimated fraction of the building stock designed according to the different code levels. If you find incorrect or missing information on this page, please provide your feedback using the form linked at the bottom. Current Seismic Design Regulation The current seismic design regulation in Argentina is INPRES-CIRSOC 103-2018. The most recent updates , reported by the National Institute for Seismic Prevention (INPRES), date back to 2018. These updates include Part I for general constructions, which complements Part II for reinforced concrete constructions, Part III for masonry constructions, and Part IV for steel constructions. Additionally, modifications to Part V, which covers welding of seismic-resistant steel structures, and the Addendum to INPRES-CIRSOC 103, Part I (version 2013), issued on April 18, 2018, should also be considered. The standard is available in Spanish and is free of charge. Evolution of design regulations and seismic zonations Category Code Year of introduction Enforcement Seismic zonation Low code CONCAR 70-1970 1970 C Download Moderate code INPRES-CIRSOC 103-1983 1983 B Download High Code INPRES-CIRSOC 103-1991 1991 B Download High Code INPRES-CIRSOC 103-2018 2018 B Download Description of each regulation, including a link to access the document if available: CONCAR 70-1970: Normas Antisísmicas -CONCAR 70- de 1970 INPRES-CIRSOC 103-1983: Normas Argentinas para Construcciones Sísmorresistentes INPRES-CRISOC de 1983 INPRES-CIRSOC 103-1991: Normas Argentinas para Construcciones Sísmorresistentes INPRES-CRISOC de 1991 INPRES-CIRSOC 103-2018: Normas Argentinas para Construcciones Sísmorresistentes INPRES-CRISOC de 2018 Estimated fractions by code level for the country Estimated fractions by code level per region Send us your feedback or observations

News Multidisciplinary team conducts a new study of the Western Nepal Fault System to help update seismic hazard and risk model of Nepal By: May 23, 2019 Share Facebook LinkedIn Active fault in roadcut. Photo credit: Richard Styron Richard Styron, GEM Active Faults Specialist, visited Nepal in March-April to help map ~60 km of previously unexplored active fault in the Nepal Himalaya (Western Nepal Fault System). The objective of the 5-week long fieldwork is to assess the fault's history, rates of earthquake activity, and interaction with other Himalayan faults. The study - funded by US National Science Foundation, involving fault geologists, hazard modelers, and seismic engineers - is expected to improve knowledge and understanding of Himalayan faulting, as well as faults in subduction zones, and yield an updated seismic hazard and risk model of Nepal. The new model will provide the basis for earthquake retrofitting strategies for rural Nepali houses. No images found. GALLERY Nepal field geology 2019 Nepal field geology 2019 Nepal field geology 2019 Nepal field geology 2019 1/7 Nepal field geology 2019. Photo credit: Richard Styron VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News News Briefs: January - March 2024 By: Mar 27, 2024 Apr 2, 2024 Share Facebook LinkedIn A round-up of GEM's other notable activities over the past three months. International Forum Towards Equitable Seismic Engineering The Global Earthquake Model (GEM) participated in the 3rd International Forum Towards Equitable Seismic Engineering on March 21st, 2024, hosted by the Sociedad Mexicana de Ingeniería Sísmica, A.C. (SMIS). The free online event offered valuable insights into advancements in equitable seismic engineering and the importance of women in the field. GEM's Martina Caruso and Catalina Yepes played key roles: Martina delivered a keynote lecture titled "The Role of Life Cycle Structural Engineering (LCSE) towards the Sustainable Renovation of the Built Environment," while Catalina participated as a panelist in the round table discussion "Eliminating Unconscious Stigmas and Biases: The Path to Women's Resilience in Earthquake Engineering." The event was held in Spanish, with simultaneous translation for Martina’s presentation. --- END --- A new study reveals a significant underestimation of earthquake reconstruction costs A recent study by Maria Camila Hoyos Ramírez and Vitor Silva, sheds light on a critical factor often neglected in earthquake risk assessments: Post-Loss Amplification (PLA). PLA refers to the significant increase in reconstruction costs after a major earthquake, exceeding the pre-disaster repair or replacement value of buildings. The study highlights that factors like material and labor shortages, limited access to affected areas, and the need for improved building standards can significantly inflate reconstruction costs following a large earthquake. The research proposes new models to account for PLA, demonstrating potential cost increases for both minor and major earthquakes. This vital information can lead to more accurate risk assessments, improved disaster preparedness planning, and more effective resource allocation in the aftermath of earthquakes. Link to the research paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/87552930231207822 --- END --- Modelling Faults in the Italian Apennines to Understand Seismic Risks in Central Italy The GEM team, led by Marco Pagani and Anna Rood, with Italian Department of Civil Protection collaborator Daniela Di Bucci participated in the 42nd National Conference of the Gruppo Nazionale Geofisica della Terra Solida (GNGTS) held February 13-16, 2024, at the Università degli Studi di Ferrara Polo Scientifico Tecnologico. The conference theme was "Geophysics for the Future of the Planet." During a session focused on new approaches to earthquake and tsunami hazard estimation, GEM Seismic Hazard Scientist Anna Rood presented the team's research on "Fault System Finite-Element Geodynamical Modelling for Seismic Hazard Analysis of the Central Italian Apennines." The event provided a valuable opportunity to share GEM's work with the GNGTS community. A thank you goes to the GNGTS for organizing the conference and to the Università degli Studi di Ferrara Polo Scientifico Tecnologico for hosting. For more details about the event, visit: https://gngts.ogs.it/2024-conference/ --- END --- OpenQuake online training (Spanish) - FORCE project Over 80 participants engaged in Spanish-language online training sessions (February 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2024) to refine their skills in OpenQuake, GEM’s open source seismic hazard and risk assessment tool. The training covered Modules II, III, and IV, focusing on tasks such as preparing input files for earthquake scenarios, conducting probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), and event-based seismic risk analysis. Attendees gained expertise in visualising results, equipping them to better understand and manage earthquake risks. These sessions aimed to enable participants with practical skills for assessing seismic hazards and enhancing their proficiency in utilising OpenQuake for risk mitigation purposes. --- END --- Recent Research from Imperial College London Challenges Earthquake Hazard Estimates Near Los Angeles Recent research by Imperial College London challenges previous assumptions about the seismic threat posed by the San Andreas fault near Los Angeles. Led by GEM's Seismic Hazard Scientist, Anna Rood, the study analyzed the resilience of ancient precariously balanced rocks (PBRs) close to the fault. This analysis suggests that past large, infrequent earthquakes were likely less powerful than previously estimated, with ground shaking potentially 65% less severe. These latest findings hold significant implications for seismic hazard assessments and disaster preparedness efforts in the Los Angeles region, as well as in other seismically active areas globally. Read the press release here: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/GEMNews/%E2%80%98rock-recorders%E2%80%99-reveal-drastic-drop-in-earthquake-hazard-forecasts-for-los-angeles Link to the research paper: https://doi.org/10.1785/0220220287 --- END --- No images found. GALLERY 1/0 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

License Request Form You have chosen to get more information about: South America Hazard Hazard Please check the link below to see if this product already meets your your requirements before submitting your request for a license. Thank you. DOWNLOAD THE OPEN VERSION Summary of steps to obtain a license for the requested product. Fill in the application form below. Click Submit. Please check your email Inbox or Spam folder for the summary of your request. You will then be contacted by the GEM Product Manager with either a request for more information, or a request to sign the license. If you do not hear from us within 2 weeks, please send an email to product@globalquakemodel.org . REQUEST DETAILS A. Requesting party information First Name Last Name Role/Job Email Business type Business type Other business Sector Sector Other sector B. License agreement signatory information The signatory must be someone who is authorised to sign license agreements on your behalf such as your immediate supervisor, manager or legal officer. If you’re a PhD student, the signatory must be your adviser or a university officer in charge of license agreements or similar legal documents. Full Name of Signatory Position Company Email of Signatory Organisation name Complete Address C. Purpose of request GEM is able to offer products for free because of the support of our project partners, national collaborators and institutional sponsors. All of GEM’s products are freely available for public good, non-commercial use, but with different license restrictions. In most cases we release products under an open license (e.g., CC BY-SA or CC BY-NC-SA), which permits (re)distribution. In this case, we are granting access under a more restricted license that forbids distribution or disclosure and requires signing by GEM and the licensee in order to better assure accountability for the confidentiality of the information. In order for GEM to properly assess your request, please answer the following questions below. 1. Explain briefly how will the GEM product be used e.g. project, research including the expected results and the foreseen public benefit. 2. Will you be able to share the results of your work with GEM? YES NO 3. Will you be able to provide feedback to GEM on the quality and usefulness of this product via a survey? YES NO C. Privacy Policy By submitting this form, you consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We are committed to safeguarding your information and ensuring it is only used for the purpose outlined in this form. You have the right to access, rectify, or delete your data at any time. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. I agree Words: 0 Email us at product@globalquakemodel.org if you're experiencing problems submitting your application. Thank you. Submit Thanks for submitting! You will be contacted as soon as possible Incomplete data. Please fill in all required fields. Thank you.

News New blood: Meet GEM’s new team members from Costa Rica and United Kingdom By: Sep 15, 2022 Share Facebook LinkedIn The GEM Secretariat is proud to welcome its newest members: Kirsty Bayliss and Andres Abarca. Kirsty Bayliss is from Scotland, United Kingdom and specialises in statistical seismology. She joined the Hazard Team on September 7th as a seismic hazard scientist. She completed her PhD studying earthquake clustering at the University of Edinburgh and worked on development and testing for novel earthquake forecasting methods during her time as a postdoctoral researcher. Kirsty joined GEM because she is passionate about tackling earthquake problems and enthusiastic about open science. She will contribute her expertise to earthquake occurrence modelling. Andres Abarca will join the team as Product Engineer working directly under the Secretary General. Andres is from Costa Rica and specialises in structural engineering and risk analysis, with a strong background in teaching and science communication. Andres has a PhD in regional risk assessment from the Understanding and Managing Extremes (UME) program of the University School of Advanced Studies in Pavia (IUSS Pavia). He has over 10-year experience as a structural engineer, university professor and researcher. He joined GEM because of his interest in the fields of risk assessment and communication, finding GEM to be a great opportunity to utilise his technical and communication aptitudes, in the service of increasing awareness to the risk of natural disasters. His role will focus on the evaluation and maintenance of GEM products, mainly serving as a link between the technical product development teams and current (as well as prospective) users. He will also serve as an ambassador for GEM’s goals and capabilities, representing the Foundation in multiple forums to promote GEM products, services and information. Welcome to the GEM family Kirsty and Andres! For a complete list of GEM Secretariat members, visit: https://www.globalquakemodel.org/our-team . No images found. GALLERY Kirsty Bayliss GEM seismic hazard scientist Andres Abarca GEM Product Engineer Kirsty Bayliss GEM seismic hazard scientist 1/2 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

News Resilience Dividend: Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Societies By: May 23, 2019 Share Facebook LinkedIn Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction. Photo credit: UNDRR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019 Geneva GEM and two thousand others from around the world participated in the sixth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2019) in Geneva, Switzerland from 13 to 17 May 2019. The event, convened and organized by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and hosted by the Government of Switzerland, featured Working Sessions, Side Events, Innovative Platform and IGNITE Stage where participants presented and discussed a wide range of topics in disaster risk reduction. Day 1 featured a high-level dialogue on global and regional progress, including outcomes from the regional platforms and a presentation and discussion on the state of global risk and future trends. The first day also featured a side event to announce the release of the Global Assessment Report 2019 (GAR2019) where Dr. Juan Pablo Sarmiento, Florida International University - Disaster Risk Reduction Program acknowledged GEM’s pioneering work on global risk assessment in his presentation. GEM’s global earthquake hazard and risk assessment work is featured in Chapter 3: Risk, especially in sections 3.1.1 Seismic and 3.2.1 Structural Exposure. Day 2 focused on risk-informed public and private investments, including investments in infrastructure and innovative investment modalities. A working session was also devoted to the launch of the Global Risk Assessment Framework (GRAF) where GEM is an active member and contributor. The last day focused on action on climate and disaster risk, including integrated national policies, strategies and planning, innovative financial and social instruments for climate and disaster risk reduction, including gender considerations. (source: https://www.preventionweb.net/files/58809_gpconceptnote.pdf ) “The Global Platform is an opportunity for us to come together to renew and accelerate our efforts to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk reduction. Achieving its targets for reducing disaster losses is a challenge and an opportunity to make the world a safer and more resilient place for future generations.” - Ms. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction. (source: https://www.unisdr.org/conference/2019/globalplatform/home ) The GEM Foundation released the Africa Earthquake Hazard and Risk model on 15th May in recognition of UNISDR’s Global Platform 2019 Conference in Geneva. The technical data and information for this model is now available on the Africa Model webpage . The Africa Earthquake model underpins the African portion of GEM’s global maps released in December 2018. No images found. GALLERY GPDRR2019 Theme Ms. Mami Mizutori, UNDRR Head GPDRR2019 Theme 1/2 VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS

License Request Form You have chosen to get more information about: India and surroundings Hazard Hazard Please check the link below to see if this product already meets your your requirements before submitting your request for a license. Thank you. DOWNLOAD THE OPEN VERSION Summary of steps to obtain a license for the requested product. Fill in the application form below. Click Submit. Please check your email Inbox or Spam folder for the summary of your request. You will then be contacted by the GEM Product Manager with either a request for more information, or a request to sign the license. If you do not hear from us within 2 weeks, please send an email to product@globalquakemodel.org . REQUEST DETAILS A. Requesting party information First Name Last Name Role/Job Email Business type Business type Other business Sector Sector Other sector B. License agreement signatory information The signatory must be someone who is authorised to sign license agreements on your behalf such as your immediate supervisor, manager or legal officer. If you’re a PhD student, the signatory must be your adviser or a university officer in charge of license agreements or similar legal documents. Full Name of Signatory Position Company Email of Signatory Organisation name Complete Address C. Purpose of request GEM is able to offer products for free because of the support of our project partners, national collaborators and institutional sponsors. All of GEM’s products are freely available for public good, non-commercial use, but with different license restrictions. In most cases we release products under an open license (e.g., CC BY-SA or CC BY-NC-SA), which permits (re)distribution. In this case, we are granting access under a more restricted license that forbids distribution or disclosure and requires signing by GEM and the licensee in order to better assure accountability for the confidentiality of the information. In order for GEM to properly assess your request, please answer the following questions below. 1. Explain briefly how will the GEM product be used e.g. project, research including the expected results and the foreseen public benefit. 2. Will you be able to share the results of your work with GEM? YES NO 3. Will you be able to provide feedback to GEM on the quality and usefulness of this product via a survey? YES NO C. Privacy Policy By submitting this form, you consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We are committed to safeguarding your information and ensuring it is only used for the purpose outlined in this form. You have the right to access, rectify, or delete your data at any time. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. I agree Words: 0 Email us at product@globalquakemodel.org if you're experiencing problems submitting your application. Thank you. Submit Thanks for submitting! You will be contacted as soon as possible Incomplete data. Please fill in all required fields. Thank you.

News Launch of new researcher-run journal SEISMICA aims to release earthquake science and seismology research from behind publisher paywalls By: Jul 6, 2022 Share Facebook LinkedIn On July 1, 2022, an international team of researchers launched a new journal, Seismica, supporting free global access to cutting-edge seismological research. Vitor Silva from the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) Foundation is a member of the core editorial team. Seismica will publish original, novel peer-reviewed research in seismology, earthquake science, and related disciplines. The new journal initiative began nearly two years ago when a group of seismologists were motivated to address the restrictive and expensive barriers to public and global access to research. More than 250 researchers from around the world, led by a core group of 44 editors, have designed and launched a community-centered journal. Editorial policies, platform, journal branding, publishing template, reviewer database and marketing. This initiative follows on from a movement of other journals that specialise in volcanoes, tectonics and sediments. Seismica’s mission is to publish rigorous peer-reviewed research which impacts the global community through policies which are accessible, transparent, respectful, credible, and progressive. Professor Christie Rowe, Canada Research Chair in Earthquake Geology and Associate Professor at McGill University, and Executive Editor for Community of Seismica said “Seismica is a community-driven journal dedicated to seismology, fully volunteer-run, diamond open-access journal. Articles are free to publish and free to read, without a subscription, and authors retain full copyright“. Seismica aims to appeal not only to academics and researchers alike but also to the industry, which plays a crucial role in this field of study. Seismica has an ongoing call for reviewers to subscribe to the journal database, for volunteers to help run the journal, and for scientists to submit their research. Interested people are asked to register at http://seismica.org . Seismica's various social media pages: ● https://twitter.com/WeAreSeismica ● https://www.facebook.com/WeAreSeismica ● https://www.instagram.com/weareseismica ● https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuXzivYc6eqiGikSj82dYGg No images found. GALLERY 1/5 Gallery VIDEO RELATED CONTENTS