The East Africa Rift Valley System is one of the most seismically active regions in the African Continent. The Lake Kivu basin is among the most active region in this Rift. Earthquakes frequently damage villages and towns in the Lake Kivu basin. The earthquakes also generate landslides on slopes of mountains or hills surrounding Lake Kivu. Seismic studies and field observations show that, since 1997 the Lake Kivu basin has become more active than usual. Several moderate earthquakes with local magnitude more that 4.0 associated with foreshocks and aftershocks are recorded in the basin every year. People are frequently injured or killed by both earthquakes, and landslides. Bukavu city, located on the south-western shore of the lake, is worst affected.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 on the Richter scale struck the province of South Kivu, in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday 3 February 2008 at 07H35 GMT (09H35) local time. The epicentre of the earthquake lies approximately 20 km north of the provincial capital, Bukavu, in the locality of Katana (Kabare Territory) at a depth of 17 km. Continuous aftershocks have been felt. A second earthquake was recorded 25 kilometres from Bukavu at 02H07 GMT (04H07) local time with a magnitude of 5.4
The National Government of DRC requested that an UNDAC team carry out an assessment of the damage and provide a risk analysis report.
2. Mission Objectives
Engineering assessment of earthquake damaged buildings Environmental assessment of earthquake damage Preliminary disaster preparedness measures
3. National Response
The government was able to make a rapid assessment in the first few days of the first earthquake. Within hours of the UNDAC team's arrival a list of priority buildings had been drawn up for structural assessment. These buildings were those which might be in danger of collapse and a significant risk to the public. Many schools were awaiting assessment before allowing children back into the classrooms.
4. Assessments
a) The Built Environment
The immediate danger was from falling debris and the collapse of a number of buildings. Due to the shortage of structural engineers the government was not able to assess the buildings and determine their safety even when only slightly damaged. The risk of children returning to schools, patients and medical staff to hospitals and clinics, in these conditions made a structural assessment essential.
After an initial survey and non technical assessment by the Logistics cluster around Bukavu, a schedule of assessment inspections was prepared by the Mayor's office. The UNDAC building assessment team was composed of two structural engineers, a government official and a local driver. As the engineers began assessing damaged structures the need for a common methodology and classification of damage was noted and addressed. The spreadsheet formed the common basis for reporting.
