Last Monday, this year’s international GFZ training course “Seismology, Seismic Data Analysis, Hazard Assessment, and Risk Mitigation” was started in Accra, Ghana. It is organized by GFZ section Physics of Earthquakes and Volcanoes and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA).

Within this four weeks course, 26 participants – PhD students of different universities as well as employees of research institutions - from 18 African countries are trained in the fields of earthquake analysis and seismic risk assessment. In the future they shall add to a better assessment of earthquake risk in Africa via regional, national, and international cooperation.

Within the frame of the training course, GFZ establishes a new station of the seismic network GEOFON, run by GFZ, in Accra, to improve precision of locating earthquakes in this region. The data are provided globally in real time.

The course was opened by Hans-Helge Sander, Deputy Head of the German Ambassy in Accra, Babra Oteng Gypsi, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Ghana, Daniel Boamah, Chief Executive Director of GGSA, and Torsten Dahm, Head of section Physics of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. The GGSA is in charge of the monitoring and assessment of natural hazards in Ghana. The training course is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and was established in 1992. Since then it takes place annually at alternating locations. (ak)