Seismic vulnerability of historical constructions in Northern Southeast Asia (Indochina): Lessons learnt from recent earthquakes

Abstract One way to understand the seismic characteristic of historical monuments and buildings is by investigating their performance following seismic events, an approach that becomes customary following seismic damages due to earthquakes. Following a recent earthquake of magnitude greater than 6.8 in central Myanmar, local scientists jointly assessed earthquake damage in the epicentral area. The main construction materials of these heritage structures are made with brick and earthen plaster with limited engineering design and proper lateral load resisting system. This report was made to share scientific findings and lessons from earthquake disasters with other earthquake-prone countries for future disaster risk reduction.