US: New Cascadia quake analysis shows building retrofits could save many lives
Source(s):
Seattle Times Company, The
There are plenty of grim statistics in a new analysis of potential damage from a Cascadia megaquake, but the report also includes several surprisingly hopeful findings.
Among them:
- Most single-family homes, with their flexible wood frames, should hold up well to the type of moderate ground shaking expected.
- The bulk of injuries will be minor, which means training more people in basic first aid could have a big payoff.
- Even moderate seismic upgrades to older commercial buildings would significantly reduce the number of people killed or injured and the level of property damage.
[...]
The scenario also examines the dramatic differences between a quake that strikes during the dry season and one that occurs in winter or fall, when the ground is saturated and more vulnerable to landslides and liquefaction.
[...]
Explore further
Hazards
Earthquake
Country and region
United States of America