Munich Re supports earthquake prevention plan in high-risk region of India

Global reinsurer Munich Re is supporting a two-year earthquake prevention project in an extremely high-risk city in India.

 Aizawl, a city in northeast India, has a population of about 300,000 and is situated in the “geographically complex border area between the Indian and Eurasian Plates,” Munich Re noted in a statement on the project.

The city has buildings of up to ten storeys constructed on steep, landslide prone mountain slopes, the company said. The area has also been hit by earthquakes registering higher than magnitude 8 in 18969, 1897 and 1918, Munich Re noted.

The aim of the project is to advise Aizawil’s local government, and help implement appropriate mitigation measures.

Aizawl currently lacks technical resources and expertise to improve earthquake safety, according to Munich Re.

“A key factor is to secure the long-term involvement of local specialists early on, and develop viable risk mitigation options with them based on the best available data,” the reinsurer noted.

“The local measures include, for example, training in what to do if an earthquake occurs, and the structural consolidation of state buildings like schools, hospitals and other major infrastructure.”

Munich Re’s partner in the project is GeoHazards International, an organization with more than 20 years of experience in prevention projects, and the project is part of the reinsurer’s ongoing Corporate Citizenship program.