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In order to evaluate the post-earthquake condition of railway bridges, this study develops a method for evaluating the traffic function of railway bridges based on vulnerability. Taking common railway bridges in China as references, 20 four-span simply-supported beam bridges with varying structural parameters were modeled in OpenSees for full-bridge finite element analysis. Seismic timehistory analysis was employed to evaluate both the vulnerability and traffic function of the bridges, clarifying the key factors influencing seismic damage and traffic function. The findings indicated that the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and shear span-to-depth ratio were the core factors affecting seismic damage, with the axial compression ratio also playing a significant role, while the volumetric stirrup ratio served as a secondary factor. To control seismic damage of the bridges, increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and reducing the shear span-to-depth ratio were recommended. A higher reinforcement ratio significantly enhanced traffic capacity, while an increased shear span-to-depth ratio reduced it. Additionally, slight improvements in traffic capacity were observed with increases in the reinforcement ratio and axial compression ratio. The longitudinal reinforcement ratio and shear span-to-depth ratio were the main factors affecting the traffic function of the bridges, while the volumetric stirrup ratio and axial compression ratio were secondary. To ensure optimal traffic capacity, the longitudinal reinforcement ratio should be appropriately increased or the pier shear span-to-depth ratio be reduced, with modest increases in the volumetric stirrup ratio and axial compression ratio. The traffic capacity evaluation method proposed in this study provides an effective tool for assessing bridge functionality and is suitable for post-earthquake assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of earthquake disaster reduction efforts in China, the content of earthquake disaster reduction policies has become increasingly enriched and improved. Particularly, multiple provincial governments have proposed earthquake disaster reduction planning policies. It is important to explore whether these policies can affect disaster mitigation. Therefore, this paper summarizes the earthquake disaster reduction plans and factors influencing seismic resilience. Panel data from 24 provinces between 2012 and 2021 were collected, and a difference-in-differences approach was used to construct an econometric model to evaluate the policy effects and analyze the enhancement of seismic resilience. The results show that the implementation of earthquake disaster reduction policies has a positive impact on earthquake monitoring, evacuation, and emergency relief capabilities, and the estimated policy effects are statistically significant. Moreover, a series of tests were conducted. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Earthquake disaster reduction policies have a positive impact on the improvement of seismic resilience in provinces. (2) Provinces with a higher number of earthquakes experience more significant effects from earthquake disaster reduction policies. (3) Provinces with higher seismic peak ground acceleration values exhibit more pronounced improvements in seismic resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Off-road route planning plays a vital role across various domains, including civil transportation, earthquake relief and civil production. Off-road route planning requires the consideration of a diverse range of environmental constraints, which is a considerable challenge compared with conventional route planning along existing networks. We aimed to present a multi-objective route planning method for off-road environments. Specifically, we designed a heuristic function incorporating multiple characteristics to generate reliable route planning solutions based on Pareto optimality. We also constructed a hierarchical hexagonal grid model by merging similar grid cells and reconstructing adjacency relationships with other grid cells to achieve high efficiency. The proposed method was compared with conventional route planning methods using single- and multi-objective approaches in traditional and hierarchical hexagonal grid models. The proposed method can effectively plan off-road routes, improve optimal route distance and trafficability, and provide more efficient route solutions. It reduced the planning time by 97.1% compared with multi-objective route planning based on a traditional hexagonal grid model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels, it is necessary to study an index system for the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels. This paper uses a literature research method. The damage of highway tunnels in 12 earthquake disasters recorded in detail in China and abroad was investigated. According to the types of hazard-beating bodies and damage forms, 17 seismic damage scenes of highway tunnels are classified. According to different damage scenes, the fault tree analysis model is used to identify the damage-causing factors. Combined with the industry standards, norms and research results related to the earthquake resistance of highway tunnels, the evaluation indices are analyzed from three perspectives: engineering geological factors, tunnel structural factors and operation management factors. According to the principle of index system construction, a four-level index system is constructed, which takes the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels as the target layer; engineering geological factors, tunnel structural factors and operation management factors as the criterion layer indices; 12 indicators as the index layer and 35 specific indicators. The established index system for the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels has strong scientific, rational and application value and can provide a reference for the evaluation of the earthquake disaster resistance capability of highway tunnels and can also provide important support for the safe operation and sustainable development of highway tunnels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Acts of Aid: Politics of Relief and Reconstruction in the 1934 Bihar-Nepal Earthquake" by Eleonor Marcussen is a comprehensive historical account of the relief and reconstruction efforts by the colonial government following the devastating earthquake. The book challenges the traditional approach to disaster history and explores the diverse interpretations and ideologies that shaped responses to the earthquake. It examines the official response to the earthquake, the role of the Viceroy's Earthquake Relief Fund, the government's preference for the middle class in relief efforts, and the focus on sanitation in urban reconstruction. The book provides valuable insights into the socio-political aspects of the earthquake and highlights the importance of disaster history for informing future policies and strategies. [Extracted from the article]

Effective relief reduces damages and protects people during natural disasters, such as earthquakes. This research proposes a data-driven model based on sustainability, taking into account the pre and post-crisis simultaneously. Real data was used to validate the model in various earthquake scenarios. The study addresses questions regarding the amount and allocation of relief goods during earthquakes. This research is carried out in two phases: simulation and modeling. The purpose of the simulation phase is to estimate the number of relief goods in different scenarios. Additionally, in the modeling phase, a data-based multi-objective model is presented, considering sustainability, to minimize the lack of relief goods, the number of untreated wounded, and supply chain costs. Using the dynamic simulation system, and after designing the structure of the earthquake effects on urban infrastructure, the actions and effects of the earthquake on vital arteries are investigated in different scenarios, and scenarios with a higher degree of risk are identified. The results showed that the highest and lowest demands for relief goods were related to the "Mosha-day fault" and "North Tehran-night fault" scenarios, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of humanitarian security management (HSM) in the context of earthquake relief operations in Syria. The article highlights the complex threat environment in Syria due to the ongoing civil war and the presence of various armed actors. It emphasizes the need for effective HSM to protect aid workers and ensure the implementation of aid programs. The article also discusses the varying levels of HSM capabilities among different international aid agencies and the importance of security training for aid workers. It concludes by calling for increased investment in robust pre-deployment security training. [Extracted from the article]

One of the key activities during disaster response is distributing relief items to victims. This is a challenging task due to dynamically changing victim needs and disaster aftermath conditions. We model the distribution operations where items like tarpaulins and blankets are distributed by volunteers, to victims at temporary distribution areas called relief centers (RC). We investigate the impact victim movements have on the distribution performance. We model each RC as a queue, and the distribution operation as a generalised queuing network (G-network). We investigate product form solutions for the proposed G-network model, and prove a new product form result for G-networks with signals and batch transfer under certain conditions. We leverage this result to develop product form approximations that apply across a broad range of settings. We apply the G-network model to a case study using the Nepal earthquake relief distribution data, and quantify the impact of victim movement on network performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A 7.8 R scale earthquake hit Nepal in April 2015 and caused about 9000 deaths along with damage to infrastructure, including the water and sewage system. Bhaktapur was one of the highly affected districts. A typhoid vaccination campaign (pre-emptive) was carried out among children who were living in the temporary shelters in this district. The assessment of vaccine effectiveness after a pre-emptive typhoid vaccine campaign following an earthquake has previously not been attempted in Nepal. Objective: To describe the pre-emptive typhoid Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccination campaign and an evaluation of the vaccine effectiveness. Methods: We conducted a pre-emptive typhoid Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccination campaign among children between 2 and 15 years of age dwelling in 23 temporary shelters in Bhaktapur district after the earthquake. Surveillance of clinical typhoid was carried out from 2014 to 2017 in Siddhi Memorial Hospital, the only hospital for children in the district. We calculated vaccine effectiveness using a case–control study design (clinical typhoid as cases and chest x-ray confirmed pneumonia as controls). Results: Three thousand nine hundred sixteen children of age 2–15 years residing in the 23 temporary shelters in Bhaktapur received the typhoid Vi capsular polysaccharide vaccine between July and December 2015. 2193 children of age 2–15 years were admitted to the hospital during the study period and 260 (11.9%) were diagnosed with clinical typhoid. The numbers of children admitted with clinical typhoid decreased over the study period (105 in 2014 and 47 in 2017; P = 0.001). Overall vaccine effectiveness was calculated at 52% (95% CI −46 to 85%), and it was 87% (95% CI −25 to 99) among children less than 5 years of age. Conclusions: We successfully conducted a pre-emptive vaccination campaign against typhoid after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. The pre-emptive vaccination campaign appeared to be more effective among children less than 5 years of age. Further studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of pre-emptive use of typhoid vaccines in the emergency situations. We highlight the challenges of calculating vaccine effectiveness of a typhoid vaccine in an emergency setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On May 21, 2021, at 21:48 local time, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.1 occurred in Yangbi County, Yunnan Province, China. By using the robust strong ground motion data released by the Yunnan Earthquake Agency, we selected five near-field stations (R < 100 km) and determined model parameters, such as the duration, spectral attenuation, stress drop, and site amplification factors of the 2021 Mw 6.1 Yangbi earthquake in China. These model parameters required for the simulation were fed into a stochastic finite-fault model of the corner frequency associated with a dislocation. The modified stochastic finite-fault method was applied to simulate the acceleration recordings of these five near-fault stations, and the acceleration response spectra and Fourier acceleration spectrum were obtained. Comparative observation results reveal that the key input parameters extracted from a few stations and the revised approach established in the current study can adequately predict the near-fault ground motion at high frequencies of the Yangbi earthquake and can demonstrate the contribution of areas with large slips to radiated energy. The proposed method can provide a basis for postdisaster rescue and seismic building design for this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great earthquake in 1855 caused extensive damage to Edo, where the shogunate was located and more than one million people lived. The picture scroll on the subject of this earthquake, Edo Ohjishin no Zu, has been conventionally understood as depicting the general situation in Edo before and after the earthquake. However, an examination of related historical documents reveals that the scroll depicts the specific situation in the area between the Saiwaibashi-mon Gate and the Shiba Residence of the Satsuma Domain up to three months after the earthquake. The depiction of the damage and people's behavior corresponds well with the descriptions in the historical documents. Edo Ohjishin no Zu shows the damage caused by the earthquake and fire, and the restoration process based on the facts, indicating that restoration progressed to some extent in the town areas during the three months after the earthquake. The premise that made this possible was the experience in dealing with fires that had accumulated in Edo, where fires were common. Although it was the first time for the machi-kaisho offices to provide relief in the wake of an earthquake, they quickly responded to the complex disaster involving fire by drawing on their past experience. Edo Ohjishin no Zu is a historical material that describes the sequence of events from the occurrence of the earthquake to the restoration process and can be used as a reference for disaster response even today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurses have always been at the forefront of providing services for victims of disasters. Using nurses' experiences in disaster planning can play an important role in improving their readiness to provide healthcare during disasters. The objective of this study is not only to understand the challenges but also to explore and document the broader spectrum of experiences encountered by nurses in these critical situations. By focusing on their experiences, we aim to contribute valuable insights to enhance disaster preparedness and healthcare delivery strategies. Methods: This qualitative study employed the content analysis method to describe the experiences of 16 earthquake relief nurses in Kermanshah, Iran. Sampling was done purposefully and continued until data saturation was achieved. Initially, two unstructured interviews were conducted to shape the interview's main line and refine guide questions. Subsequently, the study involved semi-structured interviews and observation notes for a nuanced understanding of the participants' experiences. Results: In the analysis of the interviews, 920 codes were obtained and the nurses' experiences were categorized into three main categories: personal experiences, operational experiences, and social and cultural experiences. These three categories covered 12 subcategories. Conclusion: Results of describing nurses' experiences in the Kermanshah earthquake showed that nurses need to plan and implement necessary measures to ensure pre-disaster preparedness to respond effectively to disasters such as earthquakes. Besides, it is necessary to prepare, train and practice these interventions regularly, periodically, and purposefully. They should be evaluated and updated if they are used in a real earthquake or practice and maneuver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While earthquakes are considered one of the most prevalent natural disasters in China, there is limited empirical evidence regarding the long-term effects of earthquakes on energy poverty. Using data from China Family Panel Studies and China's historical earthquake catalog, this study investigates the long-term effects of earthquake intensity on energy poverty among households in China, and analyzes the long-term effects over different time spans. Our findings indicate that, higher earthquake intensities have an overall worsening long-term impact on energy poverty. When segmented into different time spans, households in regions with higher earthquake intensities are less likely to fall into energy poverty over the past 20 years and the past 20 to 50 years, whereas more likely to be energy poor over the longer time span. Moreover, we uncover that public infrastructure, government assistance, and mental well-being serve as channels through which earthquakes affect household energy poverty, with divergent effects over different time spans. In addition, we observe nonlinear evidence of earthquake intensity's long-term impact on energy poverty, and the long-term impacts are heterogeneous across different regions, as well as households with different registration statuses and household fuel types. These insights can inform policy interventions aimed at alleviating long-term energy poverty in areas affected by natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes are one of the major natural disaster threats worldwide and directly cause substantial economic losses and many casualties every year. Research on the resource and environmental carrying capacity in earthquake-prone areas is urgently required for regional earthquake relief efforts and post-disaster reconstruction. This study considered Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Ganzi Prefecture) in Sichuan Province, China, focusing on the impact of the Luding 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Ganzi Prefecture in 2022. An evaluation system for the resource and environmental carrying capacity of earthquake-prone areas was established. A total of 23 indicators were selected that cover ecological, social economical, and geological aspects, and the weight of each index was determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The relative ranking of the resource and environmental carrying capacities of each county and city were calculated using the weighted Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Consequently, the post-disaster reconstruction strategy of Ganzi Prefecture was evaluated and analyzed. The results show that the resource and environmental carrying capacities of each administrative area differ regionally. Evidence shows that the resource and environmental carrying capacity in southeastern Ganzi Prefecture is generally higher than in the northwest, owing to the joint influence of the social economy and ecological and geological environment. This study provides carrying capacity assessment data and support methods for earthquake-prone areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Human Science of Disaster Reconstruction: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Holistic Health following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster" edited by Takuya Tsujiuchi offers a scientific and multi-perspective means of addressing the impact of disasters. The book explores the physical, social, and psychological aspects of disaster recovery and reconstruction, drawing on expertise from various fields such as medicine, psychology, sociology, and environmental engineering. It provides insights and recommendations for improving post-disaster care and support, emphasizing the importance of integrating mental health care into social care. The book's contributors include researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, and it serves as a valuable resource for understanding and preparing for future disasters. [Extracted from the article]

The 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake induced prolonged postseismic deformation extending northward beyond the Yarlung Zangbo Suture, which provides unique opportunities to better understand the lithospheric rheology in Himalaya and southern Tibet. Here, we used the first 5‐year Global Positioning System observations to study the main postseismic processes following this event, including viscoelastic relaxation and afterslip, based on a three‐dimensional finite element model. We considered a realistic geometry of the underthrusting Indian plate according to various geophysical images. We found that the models with a uniform elastic Indian lower crust fail to fit the vertical displacements. A heterogeneous Indian lower crust with the transition from elastic (high‐viscosity) to low‐viscosity approximately under the Main Central Thrust is required to reproduce the observed postseismic uplift between China‐Nepal border and Peiku Lake, indicating the weakness of the Indian lower crust from the Lesser to High Himalaya. The afterslip simulated using a weak shear zone takes place in the adjacent area downdip of the rupture zone. The preferred model suggested that viscosities of the Tibetan lower crust, weakened Indian lower crust, and shear zone are 3 × 1018, 1019, and 4 × 1018 Pa s, respectively. The viscosity of the underthrusting Indian upper mantle was roughly estimated to be greater than 1021 Pa s. The model results imply that the near‐field deformation is dominated by both afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation of the weakened Indian lower crust, not only afterslip as suggested by previous studies. Plain Language Summary: On 25 April 2015, an Mw 7.8 earthquake occurred in the central Himalayan area (near Gorkha). Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements show that the induced postseismic deformation extends northward beyond the Yarlung Zangbo Suture. In this paper, we considered the postseismic displacements within 5 years after this earthquake and studied the two main postseismic processes (afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation of the lower crust and upper mantle) using finite element modeling. We explored the parameters governing afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation of the lower crust and upper mantle beneath Himalaya aiming to fit GPS observations. We found that an Indian lower crust with the transition from elastic to low‐viscosity approximately under the Main Central Thrust is necessary to explain the observed uplift between China‐Nepal border and Peiku Lake. The postseismic deformation of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake provides independent evidence for the weakness of the Indian lower crust from Lesser to High Himalaya, which is of great importance to understand the uplift evolution of the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau. Key Points: We study the postseismic viscoelastic relaxation and afterslip due to the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake by finite element modelingA heterogeneous Indian lower crust is required to reproduce the observed postseismic uplift between China‐Nepal border and Peiku LakeThe modeling results reveal the weakness of the Indian lower crust from the Lesser to High Himalaya [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effort is exerted to investigate the recurrence pattern of large earthquakes (Mw ≥ 6.0) in the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone (KTFZ), Greece, by considering the incorporation of the 74-year (1948–2022) evolving stress field. Four earthquake occurrence models—the Poisson, Poisson with the incorporation of the static stress changes (Poisson + ΔCFF), Brownian passage time (BPT) and Brownian passage time with the incorporation of the static stress changes (BPT + ΔCFF)—have been applied to estimate the occurrence probabilities of nearly characteristic earthquakes for the seven fault segments of the study area. The mean recurrence time, Tr, is estimated using the physics-based seismic moment rate conservation method. The results show large variability depending upon fault parameters. Incorporating the state of stress into Tr results in both advanced and delayed recurrence patterns. The occurrence probability estimates for the next 10, 20 and 30 years indicate that the fault segment most likely to be ruptured is the Paliki North fault segment in all models. Overall, the occurrence probabilities, combined with the state of stress along the fault segments, emphasize the high seismic moment rate of the study area. The application of time-dependent models (BPT, BPT + ΔCFF) resulted in significant increases or decreases in the associated seismic hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the occurrence of destructively strong earthquakes, rapid acquisition of the source rupture process can provide important reference information for post-earthquake disaster relief and aftershock trend determination. An M 6.9 earthquake occurred in Menyuan County, Qinghai Province on January 8, 2022. The epicenter is located in the seismic gap in the middle section of the Haiyuan fault belt. Such a typical strong earthquake was taken as an example to investigate the rupture process of strong earthquakes. Three days after the earthquake, the InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) coseismic deformation field was obtained by Sentinel radar, indicating that the surface ruptured obviously. The southern block of the earthquake faces towards the satellite about 95 cm along the LOS (line of sight) direction, and the northern block is away from the satellite by ~ 74 cm, consistent with the characteristic of left-lateral strike-slip motion. In this study, InSAR coseismic deformation data and far-field waveform data were used to jointly invert the earthquake rupture process, and a four-segment finite fault model was constructed by referring to the surface deformation. The inversion results show that the focal depth of the Menyuan earthquake is about 7 km, and the strike of the seismogenic fault is 89.0°, 104.0°, 119.0° and 131.0° from west to east, respectively. It is a high-dip left-lateral strike-slip earthquake event lasting about 14 s. The rupture propagation mode is a bilateral extension. The maximum slip along the fault is about 380 cm, and the seismic moment magnitude is 6.7. The surface rupture length is about 24 km, which is consistent with that measured in the field survey. The detailed seismic source model can provide basic data for the aftershock trend determination and seismic risk analysis of the adjacent active faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different catalogues of earthquakes are available for the Indian region besides regional catalogues for the Gujarat region. The limitations of these and other historical catalogues have been discussed in this paper for earthquake hazards and other studies. Keeping in view that these historical catalogues have been successful in explaining the recent occurrence of a few earthquakes like Coimbatore (1900), Hyderabad (1983), Bangaluru (1985) and Jabalpur (1997), the study has been extended to the Gujarat region. In this paper, therefore, an attempt has been made to correlate the historical data of the felt earthquakes in the Gujarat region from all the available sources with instrumental data to examine the recurrence of the earthquakes. It has been found that in addition to the seismically active Kutch region and Narmada and Cambay rifts, there is a tendency for earthquakes to recur in many districts of Gujarat for which felt data from historical times is available. The seismicity map prepared by the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), Gandhinagar based on the Seismic Telemetry (2006–2020) shows scattered seismicity over the whole of Gujarat region besides active seismicity in the Kutch region. This data when combined with that from the catalogue prepared by the National Centre of Seismology provides greater confidence for earthquake hazard studies It has also been found that the coastal regions of Saurashtra and south Gujarat are more prone to swarm types of earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes can cause extensive damage to buildings, with lengthy impacts in terms of community recovery. As a result, there is a growing interest in design approaches and standards for buildings that ensure postearthquake functional recovery. This paper qualitatively explores barriers and opportunities for achieving functional recovery in the retrofit of existing buildings. The study employs a set of focus groups engaging 21 participants who are experienced in the seismic retrofit of reinforced concrete buildings in the US. Qualitative analysis methods were used to analyze the collected data and to identify the key themes. The thematic analysis revealed three groups of owners and buildings: (1) those for which functional recovery-based retrofit may be achievable, including owners with long ownership time horizons, high-value contents or operations, and buildings whose functions cannot easily be relocated; (2) those for which retrofit for functional recovery is likely not needed nor practical, including buildings whose functions can be distributed to provide geographic redundancy or replaced with remote operations or a different building; and (3) buildings for which life safety retrofits, sustainability upgrades, or other renovations may improve functional recovery even if not explicitly targeted. The study also revealed significant barriers related to retrofit costs, insufficient or inadequate tools and guidelines for retrofit implementation, difficulty in communication of benefits, and a contradiction between community-scale goals and building-scale decisions. Opportunities identified to address these barriers include strategies to improve access to capital and funding, measure and communicate economic and other benefits, and develop tools and guidelines. This study is the first to rigorously explore the feasibility of achieving functional recovery for existing buildings, which make up a major part of the US building stock and are, therefore, significant impediments to postearthquake community recovery. The study suggests actions that can facilitate moving towards functional recovery objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large earthquakes not only directly damage buildings but also trigger debris flows, which cause secondary damage to buildings, forming a more destructive earthquake-debris flow disaster chain. A quantitative assessment of building vulnerability is essential for damage assessment after a disaster and for pre-disaster prevention. Using mechanical analysis based on pushover, a physical vulnerability assessment model of buildings in the earthquake-debris flow disaster chain is proposed to assess the vulnerability of buildings in Beichuan County, China. Based on the specific sequence of events in the earthquake-debris flow disaster chain, the seismic vulnerability of buildings is 79%, the flow impact and burial vulnerabilities of damaged buildings to debris flow are 92% and 28% respectively, and the holistic vulnerability of buildings under the disaster chain is 57%. By comparing different vulnerability assessment methods, we observed that the physical vulnerability of buildings under the disaster chain process is not equal to the statistical summation of the vulnerabilities to independent hazards, which implies that the structural properties and vulnerability of buildings have changed during the disaster chain process. Our results provide an integrated explanation of building vulnerability, which is essential for understanding building vulnerability in earthquake-debris flow disaster chain and building vulnerability under other disaster chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding seismic risk at both the national and sub-national levels is essential for devising effective strategies and interventions aimed at its mitigation. The National Earthquake Risk Model of Switzerland (ERM-CH23), released in early 2023, is the culmination of a multidisciplinary effort aiming to achieve, for the first time, a comprehensive assessment of the potential consequences of earthquakes on the Swiss building stock and population. Having been developed as a national model, ERM-CH23 relies on very high-resolution site-amplification and building exposure datasets, which distinguishes it from most regional models to-date. Several loss types are evaluated, ranging from structural/nonstructural and contents economic losses, to human losses, such as deaths, injuries and displaced population. In this paper, we offer a snapshot of ERM-CH23, summarize key details on the development of its components, highlight important results and provide comparisons with other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses and compares two recently developed methodologies for the prediction of damage accumulation in structures subjected to multiple earthquakes within their lifetime, one based on a regression model and one based on a Markov-chain based approach. A stochastic earthquake hazard model is considered for generating sample sequences of ground motion records that are then used to estimate the probabilistic distribution of the damage accumulated during the time interval of interest using the various methodologies. A simulation-based approach provides a reference solution against which the other methodologies are compared. Besides assessing the effectiveness and accuracy of the two methodologies, some improvements of the regression model are proposed and evaluated. The comparison between the methodologies is carried out by examining a reinforced concrete (RC) bridge pier model and using the Park–Ang damage index to describe the damage accumulation. The study results demonstrate the importance of considering the possibility of occurrence of multiple shocks in estimating the life-cycle performance of structures and highlight strengths and drawbacks of the investigated methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Central Asia region encompasses a wide variety of climatic areas and geological settings. It is therefore prone to multiple hazards which can affect different parts of the region, including transboundary areas. Floods and landslides are increasing in number and intensity due to climate change, while earthquakes are a well-known threat for the region. Knowing the location, type and characteristics of exposed assets is paramount in order to develop disaster risk reduction strategies. Floods, landslides and earthquakes can affect a wide range of exposed assets in the region, but past research efforts were mostly focused on residential buildings. Here, we develop the first regionally-consistent exposure database for selected asset types (namely, non-residential buildings, transportation and croplands) in Central Asia. We assembled the available global and regional datasets together with country-based information provided by local authorities and research groups, including reconstruction costs. The exposure database presented here supports further analysis to integrate data from national and sub-national projects and support regional-scale disaster risk reduction strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past 2 years, three earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 and above occurred consecutively in Qinghai province, China, i.e., the 22 May 2021 Ms7.4 Maduo, 8 January 2022 Ms6.9 Menyuan, and 26 March 2022 Ms6.0 Delingha earthquakes. The hydrological observation instruments set up by the China Earthquake Administration allow us to study the dynamic processes in the well-aquifer systems during the establishment of criticality. Particularly, the observations played an important role in the prediction of the 8 January 2022 Ms6.9 Menyuan earthquake that was approved by the People's Government of Qinghai province. This work presents the hydrological data recorded by 7 stations to show the short-term anomalies before these earthquakes. To explore the performance of the hydrological observations in detecting earthquakes that occurred on different active tectonic blocks, we calculate the relative amplitudes of the pre-seismic changes. Results indicate that markedly pre-seismic change is found if the observation station and the detection earthquake are on the same block, and moderate change is found if they are on the adjacent blocks, while the precursor is hard to be identified if they are on the separated blocks. The variations in the hydrological responses may be caused by the strength weakening (or dilatancy) of source media. And the increased volumes in the crust can be evidenced by the changes in the geodetic time series in the same neighborhoods and during the same period, augmenting stress loading between the blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of movement-detection sensors is crucial for understanding surface movement and tectonic activities. The development of modern sensors has been instrumental in earthquake monitoring, prediction, early warning, emergency commanding and communication, search and rescue, and life detection. There are numerous sensors currently being utilized in earthquake engineering and science. It is essential to review their mechanisms and working principles thoroughly. Hence, we have attempted to review the development and application of these sensors by classifying them based on the timeline of earthquakes, the physical or chemical mechanisms of sensors, and the location of sensor platforms. In this study, we analyzed available sensor platforms that have been widely used in recent years, with satellites and UAVs being among the most used. The findings of our study will be useful for future earthquake response and relief efforts, as well as research aimed at reducing earthquake disaster risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We simulated the rupture dynamics and ground motion of the 1850 Xichang, China, earthquake on the Zemuhe fault, which consists of the Lijinbao segment, the Dajing segment, the Chechejie segment, and the Songxin segment, with the curved grid finite‐difference method, and compared the simulation results with the field observed data and written records inferred data. We focused on the rupture extent of this earthquake and the effects of the maximum principal stress azimuth and nucleation location on the rupture process and the corresponding damage distribution. Numerical simulation results suggest that the regional maximum principal stress orientation that surrounds the Zemuhe fault was approximately N55°W, which is identical with the azimuth from the stress relief experiment in the neighboring area. Our simulations further imply that the nucleation location is under Lanbiluo. The simulation of this preferred nucleation location model suggests that the rupture propagated through the entire Dajing segment and the Chechejie segment, and the rupture gradually arrested at shallow depths after it transferred to the Lijinbao segment and the Songxin segment. Moreover, the simulation suggests that the rupture on the Chechejie segment was initiated at the surface and then mainly propagated downward due to the free surface effect. In addition, the Xichang earthquake may have exhibited a low rupture velocity on the Dajing segment. Furthermore, our simulation results emphasize the importance of the stepover width in the earthquake dynamics. Plain Language Summary: The 1850 Xichang earthquake occurred on the nonplanar Zemuhe fault. We used physics‐based computer simulations of the rupture process to investigate the rupture length and source location of this earthquake. We found that the regional stress direction and magnitude are important to the simulation results. We also found that this earthquake mainly propagates through two segments of the Zemuhe fault (five segments in total) and the source location is approximately under Lanbiluo at a depth of 10 km. Moreover, our simulation implies that the earthquake rupture directivity has a strong effect on the surface damage distribution of the research area. Key Points: We simulate the dynamic rupture and ground motion of the 1850 Xichang, China, earthquakeThe earthquake rupture area covers the entire Dajing and Chechejie segments, and part of the Lijinbao and Songxin segmentsNucleation location, stepover width, and free surface play important roles in the dynamic rupture process and slip distribution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake-triggered landslides (EQTLs) are affected by both seismogenic faults and topography. Using landslide data associated with the 2008 MW7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, the distribution characteristics of EQTLs were identified. And the influence of topographical changes and fault dip angle changes on the distribution of EQTLs was analyzed. Fault dip angle had a controlling impact on EQTL spatial distribution. When the dip angle increased, EQTL distribution was concentrated in a certain range on both sides of the fault and decayed rapidly with distance from the fault. When dip angle decreased, the hanging wall effect became more obvious, and the number of landslides on the hanging wall gradually decreased with distance from the fault. In terms of topography, EQTLs were closely related to relative elevation differences, forming a single peak for a local relief range of 400–1600 m. For > 70% of statistical units, EQTL density increased with local relief; the landslide distribution conformed to an exponential relationship with relief. Peak local relief and dominant local relief were highly negatively correlated with fault dip angle. Fault geometry and motion characteristics control the propagation of seismic waves, directly affecting the distribution of EQTLs; moreover, as tectonic activity controls local relief, it also indirectly affects the distribution of EQTLs. Our findings provide empirical evidence for the rapid assessment of EQTL distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare system is the bearer of treating the wounded and the victims of earthquakes. The functional integrity of the healthcare system is critical to the process of postearthquake medical rescue. Thus, the requirements for seismic resilience of the medical functions of the healthcare systems are increasing. Many studies have applied resilience research to address critical issues in the medical rescue of postearthquake casualties, such as medical diagnosis, emergency surgery, and intensive care. However, systematic construction is still lacking. System resilience is one of the most promising systemic management theories with great potential to address the abovementioned challenges. This article puts forward a scientific concept that system resilience can improve the efficiency of earthquake relief in medical rescue. Firstly, a scientific review of medical demand and medical resilience was conducted, summarizing resilience and resilience of healthcare system concepts. In addition, the postearthquake medical demand was reviewed, and the classification and distribution probability of postearthquake injuries were summarized. Furthermore, by reviewing the postearthquake medical rescue process, the weak points of each medical link were summarized. Combined with the key points in the medical rescue process, the application of resilience studies in the medical system is reviewed, and the progress of medical resilience is illustrated. In summary, combined with medical demand, the article provides some guidance for the deep integration between medical rescue processes and medical resilience and identifies the challenges of system resilience to reduce the waiting time of the injured future medical rescue in the earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The September 2022 Ms 6.8 Luding earthquake broke more than 230 years of seismic calm on the Moxi fault, providing a unique opportunity to understand its seismogenic environment, rupture dynamics, and seismic hazard. Using teleseismic body waves, regional strong‐motion observations, GNSS, and InSAR data, we decipher the spatiotemporal rupture evolution of the mainshock. Combining the elastic dislocation model with surface creep, we find that the coseismic slip correlates closely with a locked patch with a loading rate of 9.7 mm/yr, but the creeping rate is insufficient to make up the shallow slip deficit. Notably, the Luding earthquake ruptured only ∼1/4 of the Moxi seismic gap, and it further increased the stress in the unruptured northern part. We thus argue that the Moxi fault has the potential for magnitude 7+ earthquakes in the near future, although geodetic prediction may overestimate the actual seismic moment released by the coseismic rupture. Plain Language Summary: The Xianshuihe fault is an area of intense tectonic activity on the Tibetan Plateau and plays an important role in accommodating the postcollisional convergence of the Eurasian and Indian plates. However, the Moxi fault, at the southeastern end of the Xianshuihe fault, has remained seismically quiescent since the last Ms 7.75 event in 1786. In September 2022, a Ms 6.8 Luding earthquake struck the Moxi seismic gap, resulting in destructive landslide damage, with 93 people dead and 25 missing. Using seismic and geodetic recordings, we recover its space‐time rupture process in detail. Our model reveals an asymmetric bilateral rupture with dominant propagation and maximum slip to the SSE. It is important to note that the 2022 Luding earthquake ruptured only the southern Moxi seismic gap, leaving the northern part unruptured. Based on the departure time of the last major earthquake and the slip rate obtained from the elastic dislocation model, we estimate the unreleased seismic energy of the Moxi fault, indicating that it still has the potential for strong earthquakes. Besides, the Luding earthquake further increased its seismic hazard through stress transfer. Therefore, we should pay great attention to the kinematic state of the Moxi fault at this time. Key Points: The kinematic evolution of the Luding earthquake is revealed by seismic and geodetic observationsThe coseismic slip asperity from 3 to 20 km depth correlates closely with the preseismic surface creep and locked patchThe unruptured Moxi seismic gap still has the potential for magnitude 7+ earthquakes and deserves further attention [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By integrating the vulnerability index of buildings, earthquake disaster matrix, and historical earthquake disaster data, the vulnerability of typical buildings and compounds in rural areas of China are analyzed. The disaster matrix of buildings in historical earthquakes was obtained by analyzing historical earthquake disaster data. By integrating the historical disaster matrix and vulnerability analysis of typical structures in rural areas, a seismic disaster matrix was established to assess the seismic performance of regional compounds. Combined with the historical earthquake disaster matrix and vulnerability index, the lognormal distribution function was used to analyze the vulnerability index of regional structures and compounds to obtain the disaster matrix of structures under different seismic intensities. Considering the structures and compounds in the rural areas in the Tianjin district as an example, the seismic vulnerability of typical structures was investigated. The regional structure disaster matrix of the study region was established and the vulnerability indices of different types of structures and compounds were obtained to clarify the regional disaster prevention ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A World Natural Heritage Site, Jiuzhaigou, is the first nature reserve in China whose primary purpose is to protect natural scenery. On August 8, 2017, a Ms 7.0 earthquake caused many unstable slopes in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan Province, China. In the extreme storm conditions that follow, the unstable slopes tend to develop into potential landslides, which can cause many casualties and property losses in scenic areas. Sentinel-1A ascending orbit data were obtained in this paper to establish a SAR database. The large-scale deformation rate map of the study area was obtained using a small baseline set InSAR technology. The potential landslides in the deformation area are preliminarily confirmed with remote sensing interpretation. The field verification is further carried out by studying the deformation information of the characteristic points on the potential landslides. The results show that 13 deformation zones were preliminarily identified, and three typical deformation zones were selected for coupling verification and identified as potential landslides. At the same time, further analysis shows that the four potential landslides have been in continuous linear deformation for a long time since the earthquake, posing a severe threat to the safety of local people's lives and property. The research results provide a reference for the early identification and warning of potential landslides in earthquake-prone regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disasters can be good for incumbent governments. Amidst an emergency, budgets can be revised and reallocated in a hurry, framing the government as a 'saviour,' issuing contracts to the government's business clientele and/or prioritising the electoral base more than the victims. Thus elected officials can curry favour with voters and increase their chances of retaining their seats. We examine this claim in the context of Albania, a middle-income country with weak public institutions. We show that the relief for two calamities, a destructive earthquake in 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic, was used by the government to mobilise votes, thereby increasing the likelihood of electoral success in 2021. Both earthquake relief funding and Covid-19 vaccination rates spiked right before the elections only to drop soon afterwards. This phenomenon, known as the Electoral Politics of Disaster (EPD), poses a risk for the national economy, public health, spatial planning and democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At 12:52 pm on September 5, 2022, an Ms 6.8 earthquake occurred in Luding County, Sichuan Province, China. Based on high-resolution aerial photographs and satellite imageries obtained after the earthquake, as well as field investigation, a total of 8685 earthquake-triggered landslides (EQTLs) were interpreted. The landslides covered an area of 30.7 km2, with a source area of 9.4 km2. These EQTLs were mainly distributed in areas with a seismic intensity of VIII and IX. Most of the landslides were small and medium in size, and their types included landslide, rockfall, and rock slump. Characteristic landslide distributions were found, EQTLs were distributed along the Xianshuihe fault, landslide area decreased gradually with an increased distance to the fault; EQTLs were distributed along the Daduhe River and roads; besides, landslide distribution was associated with ground deformation caused by the earthquake. EQTLs' characteristics indicated that, a large number of EQTLs were located near the foot of the slope; the full area of EQTLs and their source area followed a power function. This study concluded that Luding EQTLs were greater in number and area but relatively smaller in terms of affected area. Investigations on geo-hazards post-earthquake and risk assessment were proposed in the earthquake-stricken area to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important lifeline of earthquake relief, railway transportation plays a crucial role in transportation tasks during earthquake relief and post-earthquake reconstruction activities. Determining the representative seismic-induced geometric irregularity of rail alignment is the key to analyzing the safety of train operation after an earthquake. In this study, by taking the high-speed train-CRTS II track-bridge system as the research object, a finite element model was established. From the PEER strong earthquake database, 40 ground motions showing the highest matching degree to the target response spectrum were selected as the ground motion input to establish a sample database of residual rail irregularity after an earthquake. Based on the sample database regarding irregularity, a type of representative seismic-induced geometric irregularity of rail alignment was constructed; the distribution patterns were summarized; and a simplified mathematical model was established, thus providing an irregularity excitation model for analyzing the safety of train operation after an earthquake. According to the research findings, the power spectrum density of the residual rail irregularity after an earthquake at each time-frequency point is subjected to a log-normal distribution. The mean and variance of the power spectrum density set for residual irregularity can be used to generate a definite seismic-induced geometric irregularity of rail alignment. The amplitude of seismic-induced irregularity significantly increases with the increase in PGA. With a smaller number of spans, the seismic-induced geometric irregularity of rail alignment can be considered to be composed of two approximately symmetric rail deformation sections. With a larger number of spans, it can be considered to be composed of a rail deformation section near the two ends of roadbed and the rail offset section in the middle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: On September 5, 2022, an Ms 6.8 earthquake occurred in Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China. The casualties and economic losses caused by the earthquake are huge. Most of the landslides triggered by this earthquake are small and medium-sized rock collapses and destructive debris flows, with a small number of large-scale landslides. Results: There are 5007 coseismic landslides in the Luding earthquake VII-degree area and above, with a total area of 17.36 km2. The landslides are generally distributed along the NW-SE direction. The highest landslide area density is 13.8%, and the highest point density of the landslide is 35.73 km2. High-density area is mainly concentrated in the IX-degree area and the northeast side of the seismogenic fault. Coseismic landslides are more likely to develop in the area with the slope more than 40°, the slope direction of 67.5-112.5 degree, and vegetation coverage of 40–50%. More landslides are developed in granite areas and forest areas. The closer distance to active faults, the more the coseismic landslides develop. The correlation between coseismic landslide development and the distance from the active faults is better than that between coseismic landslide development and the distance from the seismogenic faults. Conclusion: The landslide database used in this paper is the most perfect at present, and the research results have also been verified by fieldwork. This is also the first applied study of this landslide inventory, which indirectly confirmed the accuracy of the inventory. The results obtained in the manuscript will provide an important guideline for future disaster prevention and mitigation in southwest China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used seismic data recorded at local and teleseismic distances to analyze the May 22, 2021 Mw 7.3 Madoi, China earthquake sequence, which occurred along a low‐slip‐rate (0.3–1.0 mm/yr) and small‐cumulative‐displacement (4–5 km) fault—the Kunlun Mountain Pass‐Jiangcuo Fault (KMPJF). We first restored the clipped waveforms recorded at local distances, and obtained more accurate phase arrivals for relocating the earthquake sequence. The relocated earthquakes illuminate a ∼170 km‐long complex northwest‐southeast (NW‐SE) striking ruptured fault with apparent bifurcated ends at both tips and variations in dip angles along strike. We further performed backprojection analyses to image the rupture process of the mainshock using seismic data recorded at four teleseismic arrays (Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, Japan, and Alaska). The results show that the earthquake propagated bilaterally in the NW and SE directions with maximum rupture speeds of ∼4.0 km/s. This observation was further refined by multiple array backprojections onto the fault that was determined by the fine relocations of the earthquake sequence. Synthetic and realistic tests validated the resolutions of the backprojection analyses (within 5–20 km). The fast supershear rupture speeds were only transient but exhibited spatial correlation with the geometric complexities of the KMPJF. This suggests that the transient supershear ruptures are due to the varying geometry of the KMPJF, which is likely an immature fault. Our results suggest that the potential for supershear ruptures along immature strike‐slip faults should be emphasized in earthquake hazard assessment. Plain Language Summary: On May 22, 2021 (local time), an Mw 7.3 earthquake occurred in Madoi County, Qinghai province and on the Kunlun Mountain Pass‐Jiangcuo Fault (KMPJF) in the Bayan Har block of the Tibetan Plateau. We examined the earthquake sequence with high‐resolution relocation of aftershocks and backprojection analyses using seismic data recorded at local distances, and four regional arrays in Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, Japan, and Alaska. The relocated earthquakes indicate a ∼170 km‐long complex NW‐SE striking rupture, with bifurcation at both ends and variations of dips along the fault. Backprojection analyses show several episodes of transient supershear ruptures that corresponded to the segmentation of the KMPJF. This segmentation, along with the low slip rate of 0.3–1.0 mm/yr and small cumulative displacement of 4–5 km, implies that the KMPJF is an immature fault. If so, this might be the first example of transient supershear ruptures along an immature strike‐slip fault. Supershear ruptures could generate strong ground motion and cause extensive damage surrounding the ruptured faults. Previously, supershear ruptures were considered to occur mainly along straight and mature strike‐slip faults. Yet, our results suggest that the potential for supershear ruptures along immature strike‐slip faults should also be emphasized in earthquake hazard assessment. Key Points: Relocated aftershocks for the Madoi earthquake delineate a ∼170 km‐long NW‐SE striking fault with variations of dips along strikeBackprojection analyses show that the mainshock propagated bilaterally in the NW and SE directions with a maximum speed of ∼4.0 km/sThe Madoi earthquake is the first known example of transient supershear rupture along a presumed immature strike‐slip fault [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake disaster assessment is one of the most critical aspects in reducing earthquake disaster losses. However, traditional seismic intensity assessment methods are not effective in disaster-stricken areas with insufficient observation data. Social media data contain a large amount of disaster information with the advantages of timeliness and multiple temporal-spatial scales, opening up a new channel for seismic intensity assessment. Based on the earthquake disaster information on the microblog platform obtained by the network technique, a multi-model coupled seismic intensity assessment method is proposed, which is based on the BERT-TextCNN model, constrained by the seismaesthesia intensity attenuation model, and supplemented by the method of ellipse-fitting inverse distance interpolation. Taking four earthquakes in Sichuan Province as examples, the earthquake intensity was evaluated in the affected areas from the perspective of seismaesthesia. The results show that (1) the microblog data contain a large amount of earthquake information, which can help identify the approximate scope of the disaster area; (2) the influences of the subjectivity and uneven spatial distribution of microblog data on the seismic intensity assessment can be reduced by using the seismaesthesia intensity attenuation model and the method of ellipse-fitting inverse distance interpolation; and (3) the accuracy of seismic intensity assessment based on the coupled model is 70.81%. Thus, the model has higher accuracy and universality. It can be used to assess seismic intensity in multiple regions and assist in the formulation of earthquake relief plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 8 January 2022, a Moment Magnitude (Mw) 6.7 earthquake occurred in Menyuan, China. The epicenter was located in the western segment of the Lenglongling fault of the Qilian-Haiyuan fault zone. In this area, the Mw 5.9 Menyuan earthquake on 26 August 1986 and the Mw 5.9 Menyuan earthquake on 21 January 2016 successively occurred. The seismogenic structures of the 1986 and 2016 earthquakes are on the Northern Lenglongling fault, which is a few kilometers away from the Lenglongling fault. After the 2022 Menyuan earthquake, we collected GF-7 and Sentinel-1 satellite images to measure the surface deformation of the earthquake sequence. Based on the elastic dislocation theory, the fault model and fault slip distribution of the 2016 and 2022 Mengyuan earthquakes were inverted using coseismic surface displacements. The results show that the 2016 event is a reverse event, with the maximum coseismic surface displacement on LOS reaching 8 cm. The strike, dip, and rake of the earthquake rupture were 139°, 41°, and 78°, with the maximum slip reaching 0.6 m at a depth of 8 km. The surface rupture of the 2022 Mw 6.7 earthquake ran in the WNW–ESE direction with a maximum displacement on LOS of 72 cm. The main seismogenic fault of the 2022 event was the western segment of the Lenglongling fault. The strike, dip, and rake of the rupture were 112°, 85°, and 3°, with the maximum slip reaching 4 m at a depth of 4 km. The Coulomb failure stress change shows that the earthquake sequence generated a considerable positive Coulomb failure stress of more than 2 bar. These observations suggest that the earthquake sequence around Menyuan is mainly governed by the activities of the Lenglongling fault around the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, their sequential occurrences could be related to earthquake-triggering mechanisms due to stress interaction on different deforming faults. Thus, the Lenglongling fault has received a great amount of attention regarding its potential earthquake hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We report on the effort of the International Seismological Centre (ISC, www.isc.ac.uk) to digitise station measurements for earthquakes as well as other types of seismic events that are currently listed in the ISC database without station data. The association of instrumental measurements to a seismic event is fundamental to verify its occurrence and it facilitates, when possible, its hypocentre relocation. We search for relevant station data in the Bureau Central de l'Association Internationale de Sismologie (BCIS). The BCIS bulletins were produced at the same time of the International Seismological Summary (ISS) but they appear to list more events with data than the ISS from the 1950s. Unfortunately, BCIS bulletins have not been digitised in a systematic way. We show that during the period going from the mid-1950s up to 1963 the BCIS is a unique source of station data that allowed us to verify thousands of earthquakes worldwide and significantly expand the global record of seismicity in those years. The data digitised in this work will play a key role in future works regarding earthquakes in the pre-digital era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway transportation, as an important lifeline during earthquake relief and post-disaster reconstruction, has an extremely significant role. The study of track irregularity caused by earthquakes is the basis for ensuring traffic safety after their occurrence. In this paper, a finite element model of a five-span simply supported high-speed railway beam bridge with the China Railway Track System (CRTS) II was established and an experimental verification was performed. Eighty arbitrarily selected seismic waves were extracted from the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) strong ground motion database and a nonlinear time-history analysis was performed on the finite element model. The frequency–domain distribution law of earthquake-induced track irregularities was studied. A stable target earthquake-induced track irregularity spectrum model was constructed, and its expression was fitted. According to the results, in the case of transverse earthquakes, the rails experienced noticeable alignment irregularity and cross-level irregularity, while the amplitude of the gauge and vertical irregularity were relatively small. The target irregularity spectrum has a higher amplitude in the low-frequency components. When peak ground acceleration (PGA) was low, earthquake-induced track irregularity was not obvious, but the deteriorating effects of earthquakes on track irregularities increased significantly with increasing PGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders in the elderly population 5 years after the Lushan earthquake in Ya'an, China. Methods: A multi-stage, group-matching random sampling method was adopted with 2579 elderly participants (≥ 60 years old) who were interviewed from January to May 2019. Preliminary screening was conducted using the scale by trained psychiatric nurses, followed by a diagnostic interview during the second stage using Chinese Version of the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder by trained psychiatrists. Results: A total of 2561 participants were included in this study with complete data. The weighted lifetime prevalence of all mental disorders in the elderly was 16.2% (95% CI 15.3–17.1), and the weighted 12-month prevalence was 15.2% (95% CI 13.4–17.0). Depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related and addictive disorders were the most common mental disorders. The 12-month prevalence of all mental disorders were significantly higher in the elderly living alone, with chronic somatic disease, and being poor (P < 0.05). The 12-month prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was significantly higher in the elderly in extremely severely earthquake-affected areas (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study show that mental health status of the elderly in Ya'an area differ by socio-economic development, geographical location, and natural disasters. The social and economic development characteristics, the impact of major natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes), and population characteristics should be combined to formulate strategies and interventions to promote the mental health of the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the stages of crisis management is planning and initial preparation to deal with the crisis. During natural disasters, one of the main activities is the logistics of relief groups and the activities of relief teams to save the lives of the victims of the accident. A review of past events shows that the chances of rescuing the injured decrease and that a quick and correct decision is important in this situation. This paper presents a two-phase hybrid approach to decision-making and prioritization of affected regions to send relief teams. In this approach, multi-criteria decision-making methods in two phases are used to consider different indicators in achieving the optimal solution. In the first phase, with the help of the primary decision matrix, the AHP, TOPSIS and AHP-TOPSIS methods are used. And in the second phase, according to the results obtained from the first phase, the secondary decision matrix is created. With the CoCoSo method's help, one of the newest methods in this field, areas are prioritized for relief. In order to implement the proposed approach, the city of Amol has been studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]