Post-earthquake reconstruction in Peru
Since the severe
and destructive earthquake of August 15 in Ica, Peru, Professor Julio
Vargas Neumann of the Catholic University of Peru (PUCP) dedicates
his time to reconstruction in the area affected by the earthquake.
Engineer Vargas advises FORSUR (Reconstruction Fund created by the
government after the earthquake), as well as coordinates, together
with Dr. Marcial Blondet, a group of around 15 NGOs that work in
Peru.
The investigator had dedicated some four decades to continuous investigation about the behaviour of adobe during earthquakes and is able to confirm that houses built in programs between 1985 and 1990 have resisted earthquakes well. Houses built in various programs according to the Peruvian norms with reinforced adobe, and located close to the epicentre, also resisted earthquakes perfectly well while neighbouring houses were destroyed, such as occurred on two occasions, in 2001 in Moquegua and this year in Ica,. It is necessary to adequately reinforce houses made of adobe, such as is done with stronger materials (reinforced masonry and reinforced concrete).
Kurt Rhyner