Information Service

The MCEER Information Service is a comprehensive source for information on earthquake engineering, hazards mitigation, disaster preparedness, and related topics. IS posts new content frequently, covering a wide range of news and research topics.

As an added service, IS reviews published materials, maintains a database for conferences & continuing education opportunities, a portal to noteworthy Web sites, and other topics of interest.

Detailed Coverage of Recent Disasters

Iowa – Midwest Flood News & Statistics

(updated July 8, 2008) The latest Iowa – Midwest flood news, statistics, images, videos, and maps are posted here daily.

7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Japan

(posted June 16, 2008) At least six people are dead and more than 140 injured after a powerful earthquake struck northern Japan, triggering landslides.

China Earthquake, Sichuan Province

(updated July 2, 2008) The latest Sichuan earthquake news, images, videos, and statistics are posted here daily.

Cyclone Nargis Devastates Myanmar (Burma)

(updated June 19, 2008) The latest Cyclone Nargis news, images, videos, and statistics are posted here daily.

Current Disaster News

World's Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge Opens in China

(posted July 3, 2008)–The world's longest cable-stayed bridge has officially opened in eastern China, linking the two banks of the Yangtze river… more

Midwest Floods Spotlight Decrepit Infrastructure

(posted July 2, 2008) The latest U.S. natural disaster is triggering fresh rounds of concern and debate about how to repair America's aging infrastructure. The worst Midwest flooding since 1993 has generated images of swamped towns, cracked roads, washed-out bridges, overwhelmed dams, failed levees, broken sewage systems, stunted crops and water-logged refugees. … more

Crews Battle California Wildfires

(posted June 30, 2008)–Fire-fighters in Northern California are struggling to contain more than 1,000 wildfires that have been burning for more than a week… more

Deadly Typhoon Hits Philippines

(posted June 23, 2008)–At least 17 people have died and many more are missing after Typhoon Fengshen hit the southern Philippines, causing flash floods and landslides… more and view typhoon photos

India Floods Toll Rises Above 50

(posted June 20, 2008)–The number of people who have died in heavy flooding this week in east and north-east India following torrential rain has now risen above 50. Nearly eight million people have been affected by the floods with two million of them now homeless… more

Minnesota Officials to Replace 11 Major Bridges by 2018

(posted June 18, 2008)–MN DOT officials say they'll replace 11 Minnesota highway and freeway bridges in the next decade… more

NOAA: New Orleans at Risk from Category 2 Hurricane

(posted June 18, 2008)–Despite a massive effort to repair and upgrade flood defenses since Hurricane Katrina, storm surge could pour over levees in New Orleans if a strong Category 2 or higher hurricane strikes the city… more

Flood Warning after Chinese Rains

(posted June 16, 2008)–China has warned that one of its longest waterways, the Yellow River, is in danger of bursting its banks… more and see Chinese flood pictures

United Nations Wants Stricter Codes

(posted June 12, 2008)–When earthquakes strike‚ collapsed buildings claim the largest number of lives. The United Nations (UN) is seeking stricter codes to ensure that buildings are able to withstand earthquake shocks… more

WSSPC Endorses Policy 07-4

(posted June 12, 2008)–The Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) unanimously endorsed the prompt adoption and enforcement by states‚ territories‚ provinces and/or local jurisdictions of the seismic provisions of the International Existing Building Code‚ the International Building Code and the International Residential Code… more

NYC: Amid Boom, a Battle Over Buildings Chief’s Qualifications

(posted June 12, 2008)–As the city struggles to keep pace with a building boom, enforce safety laws and curb fatal construction accidents, architects and engineers are fighting Mayor Bloomberg’s effort to downgrade the qualification requirements for the city’s buildings commissioner… more

Storm Causes Dam to Collapse in Wisconsin

(posted June 11, 2008)–Engineers kept watch over rain-deluged dams across Wisconsin on Tuesday after a major collapse nearly emptied Lake Delton in a torrent that washed away houses and a highway… more

Research & Professional News

Peloponnese Earthquake Report from Papageorgiou

(posted July 1, 2008) Papageorgiou, University of Patras Civil Engineering faculty, has written a full report, June 8, 2008, M.6.3, NW Peloponnese Earthquake, describing this event which resulted in uncommonly severe damage to buildings, infrastructure and residential areas along the fracture’s surface. Two people were killed, 214 injured and extensive damage occurred in this part of western Greece. More than 15 villages and cities reported significant damage, three of which were evacuated due to rockfall danger in potential aftershocks. As of June 10th, 150 houses had collapsed, 500 houses were rated as uninhabitable, and 350 repairable.

Papageorgiou, former faculty with the University at Buffalo, provides a detailed report of this most recent earthquake in Greece.

Summary of the October 17 Workshop of the Disasters Roundtable

(posted June 24, 2008) The Disasters Roundtable, part of the National Academies' Division on Earth and Life Studies, has released a summary of a workshop that explores what has been learned about disaster recovery from scientific research and based on the experience of policy makers and practitioners.

The report also examines recovery actions following the September 11th terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina and highlights examples of both pre- and post-disaster recovery planning

Mosqueda's Research to Provide Glimpse of How Structures Collapse

(posted June 12, 2008) Gilberto Mosqueda’s research to develop methods of evaluating and designing steel buildings so they are less vulnerable to collapse during strong earthquakes is the result of a a prestigious $400,000 Faculty Early Career Development Award he received from the National Science Foundation.

The experiments are part of a project aimed at both designing new structures that can withstand large deformations without collapsing and at evaluating existing buildings to determine where retrofits may be necessary. Mosqueda has geared his research toward developing realistic, reliable and economical ways of testing large-scale structures.