U.S. Government Donates Seismic Monitoring Equipment to San Calixto Observatory

U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg delivered a donation of four seismic monitoring mini stations to the San Calixto Observatory to assess seismic movements in the city of La Paz. The equipment’s cost is estimated at $68,000.

During the delivery ceremony, Ambassador Goldberg stated that the U.S. Embassy is willing to support Bolivian institutions, such as the San Calixto Observatory, which have proposals to prevent crises and to prepare for adequate responses in case of emergencies. “We are sure,” Goldberg said, “that San Calixto Observatory will now better contribute to the early alert system created by Bolivia’s Civil Defense office.”

Approximately 20,000 people live directly on seismic hazard zones in La Paz, and about a quarter million residents live nearby such zones. The newly donated equipment will serve to prevent a potential disaster in the event of an earthquake.

There is a moderate seismic activity in Bolivia. The country has suffered seven earthquakes in the past 100 years. The current seismic monitoring capacity is not enough to provide detailed assessment about probable seismic hazard. Therefore, it is hard to set up a disaster prevention system.

Although San Calixto observatory has seven seismic monitoring stations throughout the country, they do not have the necessary equipment to monitor micro-seismic activity. This is particularly critical in densely populated areas, such as the city of La Paz. The donated equipment will allow monitoring micro-seismic activity, including the identification of active structures that may lead to major earthquakes in the future, as well as the assessment of seismic cycles and data, to be used in predictive reports.