EERI Earthquake Reconnaissance Team Report: M7.8 Muisne, Ecuador Earthquake on April 16, 2016

Resumen

In mid-April of 2016, the coastal Ecuadoran province of Manabí suffered a devastating earthquake. Damage was
\nspread up and down the coast, with some towns almost being completely erased. In about a month’s time, EERI sent
\nout a reconnaissance team to study the damage. The team was made up of highly energetic structural engineers from
\nboth practice and academia. Deploying the team was a race against time, as the central government of Ecuador was
\nin full swing of demolishing all severely damaged buildings. Even by the time the EERI team reached the field, many
\nof the low rise buildings have already been completely cleared out in some of the towns.
\nThis earthquake further strengthens the case that non-ductile, masonry infilled buildings continue to pose a high
\nhazard to lives and buildings in the seismically active areas of the world. For example, most of the hospitals the team
\nvisited were inoperative mainly due to the masonry infill and other non-structural damage where in most cases the
\nbuilding structure itself withstood the earthquake. This in turn put more pressure and resources on the response
\nteams to set up temporary emergency hospitals and potentially delayed their ability to take in the injured immediately
\nfollowing the earthquake.
\nThe world, and more specifically the developing world, is dictated by economics. It’s always going to be cheaper to fill
\na wall with locally produced brick masonry over manufactured flexible light-weight building materials. We, the earthquake
\nengineering community, need to find a way of safely using brick masonry where it can be compatible with the
\nbuilding’s structure.
\nThis report is filled with images, data and observations. It is part of a growing collection of information the EERI staff,
\nreconnaissance team, and community have developed on the Ecuador earthquake, including an extensive video briefing
\nand a detailed virtual clearinghouse.
\nThe people of Ecuador were very helpful and most of all, welcoming during our visit, especially the Ecuadoran Army
\nCorps of Engineers, who generously provided transportation for the team. Our hearts and our encouragement go out
\nto the people of Manabí Province as they try to rebuild after the devastating earthquake.