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The power of earthquakes

28 April 2014

Earthquake damage in Indonesia

Earthquakes liberate vast amounts of energy - enough in this case to shatter a reinforced concrete building in Indonesia. They can range from tremors so slight only sophisticated equipment can detect them, to the awesome power of quakes that reshape the landscape.

But the extent to which they affect people does not just depend on their strength. A vast and complex interplay of factors including architecture, culture, economics, education and many more all play a role. Understanding and studying these are the goal of UCL's Institute of Risk & Disaster Reduction (IRDR).

On 30 April, Virginia Murray, honorary professor in UCL IRDR, will give a public lecture giving a fascinating insight into the social issues surrounding natural hazards. Prof Murray will discuss a new international framework for disaster risk reduction, which is expected to be adopted next year. She will highlight the innovations necessary to address the challenges relating to risk over the next 30 years. The lecture is free but you must register beforehand.

Photo credit: David Alexander (UCL IRDR)

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