This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
Haiti – January, 2010
Early this morning, we got a call from the World Bank officer. He requested us to investigate the National Palace. Our team is excited about this prospect. It is the most famous building in Port au Prince. It is an equivalent to the White House. And now it is infamous for the spectacular collapse. The front domes are collapsed and totally ruined.
As we driving through the disaster scenes of concrete piles and piled up garbage in the morning light, a New York Times and…
This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
Haiti – January 20, 2010
At 2 am I wake up to the sound of a shot gun blast outside of the house I am staying in. Well, this is the first time in my life I have ever been woken up by the sound of gunshot. I slowly spy from the back yard window to investigate. It is strange and silent. No one is visible. So I decide to go back to sleep. As I fall asleep again, I begin thinking about the 4000 criminals who have escaped…
This post is part of a series called Miyamoto in Haiti
Prologue
January 18, 2010, Los Angeles, CA – Structural and Earthquake Engineer, Kit Miyamoto departed for Haiti with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF). Miyamoto will provide structural engineering expertise to support PADF disaster relief efforts in Haiti.
“From my experience with disaster sites, together with the pressing scale of the humanitarian needs in Haiti, there will be limited resources to provide high level structural/earthquake engineering expertise. Providing this expertise is a key component of disaster response and it is very time critical,” said Miyamoto, CEO of Miyamoto International…
This post is part of a series called 2008 Sichuan Earthquake Journals
Sichuan, China – May 20, 2008
2:00 am
The front desk calls to tell me that the government has just issued an earthquake warning and everyone must move into the large hotel lobby. Her voice is shaking. I tell her that earthquake forecasting is highly inaccurate so she should not worry about it. Also, the hotel is 100 km from the epicenter and it has been already field tested by the M 7.9 event. I don’t think she believes me since she keeps knocking on my door and…
This post is part of a series called 2008 Sichuan Earthquake Journals
SICHUAN, China–We are heading north toward Mianzhu; which is 10 km east of the fault. At this distance, we expect to see significant damage. Our first stop is a substation where we saw wall damage. This substation is located about 10 km south of Mianzhu. The damage was limited to water tank pipe breaks and some equipment that toppled over.
It’s 12:25 a.m. We are driving through a beautiful country road… rice fields, water buffaloes, tobacco leaves, and traditionally pictured farm houses… Then, a couple of damaged stacks.…
This post is part of a series called 2008 Sichuan Earthquake Journals
SICHUAN, China–Following the May 12, 2008 M8 Sichuan Earthquake, Miyamoto International and Global Risk Miyamoto immediately dispatched a team to the affected region. Our reconnaissance team was composed of Chris Heaton, Global Risk Miyamoto, Rocky Ng, engineer from China Rail Way, Tenth Group, Third Engineering Company, and the author, Kit Miyamoto of Miyamoto International and Global Risk Miyamoto.
At 10:30 a.m. My team and I are joined by a TV news crew from NHK (Japanese Broadcast Corporation) who worked with us and reported on our observations of the…
