This manual has been prepared to assist in the restoration and retrofitting of structures located in therural areas of earthquake affected Kashmir, situated in the northernmost area of India and in Pakistan. Theearthquake that struck this area on 8 October 2005 destroyed and damaged several thousand houses andkilled around one hundred thousand people. Kashmir is a seismically active area, and earthquakes big and small will continue to occur. It is notpossible to predict when and where an earthquake will strike, nor its intensity. It is therefore hoped that thismanual will be useful to engineers, architects, contractors, masons and people who may be planning toretrofit existing houses and public buildings to reduce their vulnerability to future earthquakes.