This report describes the performance of lifelines in two recent earthquakes: the Gujarat Earthquake of January 26, 2001 and the Napa Earthquake of September 3, 2000. The Gujarat Earthquake severely struck the Kutch District of the Gujarat State, India, and resulted in about 17,000 fatalities, 150,000 injuries, and left more than 500,000 homeless. The most heavily damaged lifelines were water and electric power. Other lifelines were substantially impacted, including communications, wastewater, ports, railways, highways, roads, and bridges. The Napa Earthquake was a moderate-sized earthquake in the City of Napa, California. Recorded peak ground accelerations in the Napa area were as high as 0.49g, with a recorded peak ground velocity of 15 inches per second. This report presents the findings for the following lifelines: water, telephone, highways, railroads, ports, hospitals, airports, fire department response, radio communications, highway bridges, electric, and natural gas. The Earthquake Investigation Committee of the Technical Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering (TCLEE), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), is established to initiate, organize, train for, coordinate, and evaluate the performance of lifelines following earthquakes. Volunteers have gathered data to provide information for practitioners to improve the performance of the lifeline systems. Their findings are contained in this report.
