Geohazards International

TO END PREVENTABLE DEATH AND SUFFERING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS.

HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SHARE THE ISLAND OF HISPANIOLA AND ARE EXPOSED TO VERY SIMILAR, IF NOT THE SAME, HAZARDS-EARTHQUAKE FAULTS SPAN THE TWO COUNTRIES, TSUNAMIS GENERATED FROM OFFSHORE EARTHQUAKE FAULTS THREATEN COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN BOTH COUNTRIES, AND TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES HITTING THE ISLAND AFFECT THE TWO COUNTRIES. THESE TWO COUNTRIES ALSO FACE SIMILAR CHALLENGES, BEING SMALL ISLAND NATIONS WITH LOW RESOURCES. OUR PROGRAM IN THE AREA FOCUSES ON EQUIPPING AT-RISK COMMUNITIES IN THESE COUNTRIES WITH ACTIONABLE INFORMATION ON REDUCING THEIR RISKS FROM DISASTERS. OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDE YOUTH-LED EFFORTS IN BUILDING DISASTER RESILIENCE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS SUPPORT FOR AREAS AFFECTED BY THE AUGUST 2021 EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTHERN HAITI. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS WE WORK CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER LOCAL LEADERS.

THERE IS NO QUICK FIX TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES IN THE FACE OF DISASTERS. RESILIENCE REQUIRES PEOPLE WORKING LONG-TERM ON MANY LEVELS-LOCAL PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST PLACED TO LEAD AND IMPLEMENT CHANGE. TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES IN THE FACE OF DISASTERS, WE INVEST IN ADVOCACY, OUTREACH, AND MENTORING ACROSS THE COMMUNITY SPECTRUM. WITH NEW KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITIES TO BUILD RESILIENCE, THESE PATHFINDERS WILL STEER LASTING IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE EFFORTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF EARTHQUAKE RISK IN AT-RISK COMMUNITIES WITHIN LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES. THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION ABOUT EARTHQUAKE RISK AND HOW GHI SEEKS TO REDUCE THAT RISK OCCURS THROUGH NEWSLETTERS, PRESS RELEASES, A WEBSITE, WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS, SEMINARS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, AND EVENTS. RESOURCES OF TIME AND ENERGY ARE ALSO SPENT COLLABORATING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADDRESS RELEVANT ISSUES IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GHI.

PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME VISUALIZING HOW A MAJOR THREAT COULD BECOME A DISASTER THAT WILL AFFECT THEM AND THEIR FAMILY, IN SPECIFIC WAYS, FOR MONTHS AND YEARS. WE DEVELOP DISASTER SCENARIOS THAT PERSONALIZE THE IMPACTS. WE ASSESS THE SPECIFIC VULNERABILITIES OF LOCAL BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. OUR PROCESS ENGAGES DIVERSE VOICES ALONG WITH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS. THE RESULTS MAKE COMPLEX PROBLEMS APPROACHABLE AND PROVIDE A COMPELLING BASIS FOR LOCAL DECISIONS ABOUT GROWTH, POLICY, AND ACTION.OUR GLOBAL PROGRAM INCLUDES AN ONGOING STUDY OF HOW EARTHQUAKE, LANDSLIDE, AND VOLCANO SCENARIOS HAVE BEEN USED AND HOW THEY CAN BE IMPROVED TO BETTER MOTIVATE DISASTER MITIGATION ACTION. THIS PROGRAM HAS INCLUDED GLOBAL LITERATURE REVIEW ON SCENARIOS, AS WELL AS MORE IN-DEPTH STUDIES OF SCENARIOS USED IN ECUADOR, NEW ZEALAND, NEPAL, AND THE UNITED STATES.

COUNTRIES IN SOUTH ASIA ARE EXPOSED TO A MULTITUDE OF HAZARDS, INCLUDING EARTHQUAKE, LANDSLIDES, CYCLONES, AND EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. OUR SOUTH ASIA PROGRAM PRIMARILY INCLUDES WORK IN BHUTAN, NEPAL, AND INDIA. IN THE HIMALAYAN REGION (BHUTAN, NEPAL, AND NORTHERN INDIA) WE HAVE FOCUSED ON PROGRAMS TO REDUCE RISK FROM EARTHQUAKES AND LANDSLIDES, WITH A FOCUS ON SCHOOLS, HEALTH FACILITIES, AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AS THESE ARE PARTICULARLY CRITICAL TO COMMUNITIES AFTER A DISASTER. IN SOUTHERN INDIA, WE ARE FOCUSING ON REDUCING CLIMATE-RELATED RISKS, INCLUDING RAIN-INDUCED LANDSLIDES, AS WELL AS BUILDING REGULATORY CAPACITY ASSESSMENTS. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES IN ALL OF OUR EFFORTS THROUGHOUT SOUTH ASIA.