November 2025 – October 2027
Earthquakes are a major threat in Guatemala due to frequent seismic activity and vulnerable infrastructure. The Guate-EW project supports the country’s first public Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system, jointly developed by the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich, and INSIVUMEH, the National Monitoring Agency of Guatemala. The EEW system aims to deliver mobile alerts seconds before ground shaking begins enabling the population to take protective action, reducing casualties. The project seeks to expand the system’s user base, improve its functionality through tools for reporting damage, and enable rapid impact assessments to support emergency response. It also promotes public awareness and actionable guidance, and supports the integration of EEW into institutional preparedness plans. This interdisciplinary collaboration between ETH Zurich, the Guatemalan Red Cross, and INSIVUMEH brings together seismology, engineering, and social science to enhance preparedness and reduce earthquake risk.
ETH PI: Dr. John Clinton
ETH Partners: Prof. Dr. Stefan Wiemer, Michèle Marti, Benazir Orihuela Gonzales, Dr. Anna Schorn, Dario Jozinovic
Humanitarian Partners: Virna Villeda (Guatemalan Red Cross), Teresa Marroquin (Guatemalan Red Cross), Andrés Lemus (Guatemalan Red Cross)
Other partners: Robin Onelio Yani Quiyuch (Department of Research and Geophysical Services, Department of Research and Geophysical Services), Marianna Kuttothara (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Americas Regional Office)
Photo: Performance of the earthquake early warning (EEW) system for the ML5.6 earthquake in near Guatemala City on 8 July, 2025. Credit: Frederik Massin, Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich.
