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Against All Odds: Afghanistan Earthquake Relief Day 1

July 21, 2022September 19, 2022,
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This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Afghanistan
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  • Against All Odds: Afghanistan Earthquake Relief Day 1
  • Against All Odds: Afghanistan Earthquake Relief Day 2
  • The War Against Time: Afghanistan Earthquake Relief

July 18th 2022

3:30 AM
Dubai

I am on a bus at 3:30 AM on my way to a flight to Kabul. The bus is crowded with Afghanistan families and businessmen and a few aid workers like us. I can hear Afghanistan kids speaking with American accents. Interesting… I never thought this would be the case. This midnight flight from Dubai is the only available commercial flight to this embargoed country. Taking off from LA, I have been flying for over 30 hours. I am getting exhausted.

 

 

7:20 AM
Kabul

I land at Kabul International Airport at 7 20 AM on a Monday morning. It is a 1960s construction. Fairly small, but it seems very organized. Going through immigration, there are several De Facto Authority (DFA) with assault rifles and wearing traditional long garbs scanning the large empty room we foreigners are lined up in. They wear their hair long, and their skin is burnt by the sun. Their piercing blue eyes stare at me, as if telling me that they know what I’m thinking. The Immigration officers effectively usher us through the paperwork and even go as far as to fetch our luggage. Never had I received such services from Immigration before.

After a few minutes, I am out in the airport parking lot, under the morning sun and surrounded by fresh air. It was a much smoother process than I had thought. After all, this is the site where a deadly evacuation was carried out less than 10 months ago. It is hard to believe how peaceful the place seems. I notice a large Chinese billboard showcasing a new Chinatown they are building in Kabul. I heard that Chinese investment is robust. Embargos seem not to work, as half of the world do not follow America’s marching order, any longer.

3:31 PM
UN compound, Kabul

Our team is sitting outside around a conference table. We are under the shade, but the hot summer sun is simmering the concrete in our vicinity.

The team consists of David, a veteran and famous humanitarian response personality; Mark, a trusted earthquake structural engineer who worked on many disaster response projects, from the Haiti earthquake to the Palu, Indonesia, earthquake disaster; and Shahzar, a local, respected program manager who used to work for many UN agencies. It is critical to have a trusted local partner when entering this country. They can really show you the way.

We are vigorously discussing with our International Organization for Migration (IOM) counterparts. The IOM is a part of the UN system and they have been in Afghanistan since 1992 supporting populations on the move. Our mission organized by the IOM is a critical one. In June, a major earthquake killed around 3,000 people and destroyed 9,000 houses. Our mission is to establish a repair methodology, identify repairable houses and inform the population about this. A severe winter is already around the corner. The damaged houses need to be repaired quickly.

The Afghanistan people are struggling economically, even this medium-sized earthquake can cause major issues for people living in the affected area. The earthquake site is on the southeast of the country, an area used by Al Qaeda. If you recall, Bin Laden was hiding out in a cave there during the US bombings. This will definitely be a challenging mission.

Kit Miyamoto
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As CEO of the structural engineering company Miyamoto International, Kit is dedicated to making the world a better place. In Kit's words: our responsibility as engineers is to make buildings safer by sharing what we know around the world. Join his journey to make the world a better, safer place.

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As part of the USAID/BHA PREPARE program, #Miyamot As part of the USAID/BHA PREPARE program, #Miyamoto International is working to improve earthquake preparedness and response in Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. Through this multi-year initiative, we aim to strengthen the ability of national and municipal disaster management authorities and first responders to prepare for and respond to future earthquakes effectively. By helping to lessen the social and economic impacts of earthquakes in these Latin American countries, we hope to make a positive difference in the lives of those affected by these #naturaldisasters.

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The holiday season in the past month in the United The holiday season in the past month in the United States will be remembered for the "bomb cyclone" winter #storm, which affected over 200 million Americans. The storm caused travel disruptions with thousands of canceled flights, blocked roads, and widespread power outages. It also brought dangerous cold conditions to much of the country. #Miyamoto International, a multi-hazard engineering firm, works to develop cost-effective strengthening solutions for existing #infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and other assets. By analyzing data and comparing the cost of strengthening solutions to the savings they provide by preventing damage and economic downtime, we aim to make the case for #resilience clear.
The #resilience of the local community in the face The #resilience of the local community in the face of the #earthquake in Afghanistan is remarkable. About 80% of traditional clay buildings have survived with minimal damage, thanks to their low-frequency rocking motion, a natural form of earthquake protection. However, the push for modern construction techniques threatens the preservation of these #traditional methods. At #Miyamoto International we are working to support the community and encourage them through education and learning to rebuild sustainably to ensure the resilience of buildings and the safety of people in events like these.

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Afghanistan was struck by a middle-of-the night ea Afghanistan was struck by a middle-of-the night earthquake that became the country’s deadliest in two decades. Approximately over 13,000 families (between 80,000 and 100,000 people) have been rendered homeless.

Self-recovery and mutual assistance are critical components of effective disaster recovery. In the aftermath of a #disaster, families often rely on community empowerment rather than solely relying on institutional assistance.

#MiyamotoAfghanistan developed and implemented a training program with community needs, local customs, and intended social impact, guiding every stage of the project. 

Accessing the right technology and partnerships, we empower communities to thrive long after a project is delivered. Working together will allow us to create and sustain more holistic and effective recovery efforts.
As the sun rises over small villages in the affect As the sun rises over small villages in the affected areas by the #magnitude 6.0 #earthquake in #Afghanistan last year, the sound of #rebuilding can be heard. The determination of the local people to restore their homes and preserve their #cultural compounds is palpable. These compounds, often home to multiple families, are not just buildings; they are a vital part of the community's social fabric.

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