Are We Prepared?
The Big One... Are We Prepared?
On Saturday, 5th October 2019, an earthquake struck the Bay Area of San Francisco. The earthquake was recorded to have a magnitude of 3.5 on the richter scale (see more here) and three micro-quakes, earthquakes of 2.0 or less on the richter scale, followed.
San Francisco's last major earthquake (see here) was in October of 1989, which struck with a magnitude of 6.9, killing 63 people and causing damages of more than $5 billion. This event was preceded by a 68 year period with only low-magnitude earthquakes. However, following the 1989 earthquake, the activity has been similar to that of 1836-1911, during which period there were 18 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or more (more information here)(timeline of earthquakes 1880-1914). For this reason, geologists are concerned that the greater San Francisco area will experience more frequent and larger earthquakes, and the possibility of an event with magnitude of 7.0 or more within the next 30 years is around 75%.
Given the recent geological activity, San Francisco residents are waiting for the next large earthquake, for which they are not prepared. While California has strict building regulations to protect schools and hospitals, their regulations for skyscrapers are nowhere near as severe (see here). Most of the casualties that occur during earthquakes are not directly a result of the tremors, but are rather caused by falling buildings and debris. Compared to other countries, such as Japan (here), the United States is far behind in terms of earthquake damage-prevention and safety. In a city that has more than 160 buildings over 240 feet, with more under construction, is the city really doing enough to protect its residents? How could the lack of protection impact the American people? Is it possible for America to catch up to other countries' standards for earthquake protection? And if so, how could these new regulations possibly be implemented?
On Saturday, 5th October 2019, an earthquake struck the Bay Area of San Francisco. The earthquake was recorded to have a magnitude of 3.5 on the richter scale (see more here) and three micro-quakes, earthquakes of 2.0 or less on the richter scale, followed.
San Francisco's last major earthquake (see here) was in October of 1989, which struck with a magnitude of 6.9, killing 63 people and causing damages of more than $5 billion. This event was preceded by a 68 year period with only low-magnitude earthquakes. However, following the 1989 earthquake, the activity has been similar to that of 1836-1911, during which period there were 18 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or more (more information here)(timeline of earthquakes 1880-1914). For this reason, geologists are concerned that the greater San Francisco area will experience more frequent and larger earthquakes, and the possibility of an event with magnitude of 7.0 or more within the next 30 years is around 75%.
Given the recent geological activity, San Francisco residents are waiting for the next large earthquake, for which they are not prepared. While California has strict building regulations to protect schools and hospitals, their regulations for skyscrapers are nowhere near as severe (see here). Most of the casualties that occur during earthquakes are not directly a result of the tremors, but are rather caused by falling buildings and debris. Compared to other countries, such as Japan (here), the United States is far behind in terms of earthquake damage-prevention and safety. In a city that has more than 160 buildings over 240 feet, with more under construction, is the city really doing enough to protect its residents? How could the lack of protection impact the American people? Is it possible for America to catch up to other countries' standards for earthquake protection? And if so, how could these new regulations possibly be implemented?
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| Cypress structure examined for damages following the 1989 earthquake |
I like how you included so many statistics about the magnitude and frequency of these earthquakes it really helped me understand the severity of them! I think the US should definitely update their earthquake damage prevention especially considering the unpredictability of areas like San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteAs of right now I don't think that we are doing enough to combat the severity of earthquakes. The United States, and specifically target cities like San Francisco, should really improve their system of dealing with earthquakes (i.e. how to prevent falling buildings, evacuation routines, etc) to protect the people affected by these natural disasters.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Aimee -- and I agree that we need to address this situation. But here's my concern: how do we get Americans to care about something that they frequently perceive as being a problem down the road? (See climate change as a prime example.) . How do we encourage Americans to plan for disasters rather than react to disasters?
ReplyDelete