EEFIT mission: September 2023 Morocco earthquake

2023年9月8日，摩洛哥发生6.8级（Mw）大地震，造成3000多人伤亡，约660万人受影响，英国地震工程现场调查组（EEFIT）启动了一项关键任务。他们的主要目标包括对地震和降雨引起的滑坡之间复杂的关系进行彻底的分析。此外，他们还致力于评估地震期间结构和基础设施的性能，并了解滑坡对摩洛哥偏远的高阿特拉斯山脉地区的影响。这个由10人组成的团队包括学术和行业专家，以及接受现场数据收集培训和安全协议的年轻研究人员。他们将于1月中旬在摩洛哥逗留大约一个星期。通过细致的数据收集和观察，在当地专家的协助下，团队旨在深入了解失败的原因，滑坡发生的触发因素，以及建筑环境是否符合设计标准。他们还寻求确定当地建筑技术的潜在改进。实地调查结束后，将继续进行当地监测，重点关注由于未来几个月的预测降雨而可能发生的滑坡。当地联络人将监督建筑物和基础设施的恢复，收集有关维修和建造新房屋、桥梁和道路的信息。4月中旬，将进行后续任务，由四名专家组成的较小小组将重新访问摩洛哥。他们的目标是收集有关滑坡演变和建筑环境功能恢复的额外数据。在整个过程中，将使用最先进的灾害管理工具，结合卫星图像和各种在线平台的数据，对获取的数据进行全面分析。这些工具为广大地区提供了广泛的视角，从而能够开发旨在了解滑坡机制和预测风险的特定模型。最终目标是制定评估策略，使未来的灾害对建筑环境的危险性降低。这种方法——利用先进的灾害管理工具将实地数据与卫星图像结合起来——一旦在摩洛哥得到测试，就具有在类似情况下应用的潜力。研究结果将通过讲座、期刊论文和会议与研究界和专业工程师分享。这种方法增强了对地震引发的山体滑坡相互关联的现象、它们对当地社区、建筑环境的影响以及暴雨的潜在后果的相关知识的理解和应用。这种丰富的知识将为预测累积和级联灾难的影响以及提高对备灾重要性的认识奠定基础。

Following Morocco's significant earthquake on September 8th, 2023, with a magnitude of (Mw) 6.8 and over 3,000 casualties affecting around 6.6 million people, the United Kingdom's Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team (EEFIT) has initiated a critical mission. Their primary objectives include conducting a thorough analysis of the intricate relationship between earthquake and rainfall-induced landslides. Furthermore, they are dedicated to evaluating the performance of structures and infrastructure during the seismic event and understanding the impact of landslides on Morocco's remote High Atlas Mountains region.This ten-member team consists of academic and industry experts, alongside young researchers undergoing field data collection training and safety protocols. They will spend approximately one week in Morocco in mid-January. Through meticulous data collection and observations, assisted by local experts, the team aims to gain profound insights into the causes of failures, the triggers of landslide occurrences, and the compliance of the built environment with design standards. They also seek to identify potential improvements in local construction techniques.After the field investigation, ongoing local monitoring will continue, with a focus on the evolving landslides expected due to forecasted rainfall over the coming months. Local contacts will oversee the recovery of structures and infrastructure, gathering information on repairs and the construction of new houses, bridges, and roads. In mid-April, a subsequent mission will take place, featuring a smaller team of four experts revisiting Morocco. Their objective is to collect additional data regarding the evolution of landslides and the restoration of functionality in the built environment.Throughout this process, the acquired data will undergo comprehensive analysis using state-of-the-art disaster management tools, incorporating satellite imagery and data from various online platforms. These tools provide a wide-ranging perspective across extensive regions, enabling the development of specific models aimed at understanding landslide mechanisms and predicting risks. The ultimate goal is to develop assessment strategies that make future disasters less dangerous for the built environment.Once tested in Morocco, this approach - integrating field data with satellite imagery using advanced disaster management tools - holds the potential for application in similar contexts. Findings will be shared with the research community and professional engineers through lectures, journal papers, and conferences. This approach enhances the understanding and application of knowledge related to the interconnected phenomena of landslides triggered by earthquakes, their impact on local communities, the built environment, and the potential consequences of heavy rainfall. This enriched knowledge will lay the foundation for predicting the effects of cumulative and cascading catastrophes and raising awareness of the importance of disaster preparedness.