There are 500,000 earthquakes around the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt. 100 of them cause damage.
A big factor encouraging the growth of urban SAR teams has been changing construction methods, such as the use of concrete slabs that — unlike timber, mud or bricks — create spaces or “voids” as homes and offices collapse in which those not crushed by falling masonry or cut by broken glass may survive.
But survival times, especially for those injured, cold or without water, are more often minutes and hours than days. Any SAR operation is a race against time, highlighting the need for local training and teams, and putting international groups at a severe disadvantage.
