The Mexico City Earthquake Is a Warning for Americans

We are only beginning to understand the full damage of the earthquake in Mexico City: at least 230 dead, including at least 21 schoolchildren; nearly 50 buildings flattened; entire communities without power or cell phone coverage. It’s a grim reminder of just how devastating a seismic event can be. But what is particularly chilling is that this quake could have been much worse. Monday’s earthquake was an M 7.1. That M stands for “magnitude,” or the amount of energy released in a quake. Magnitude is measured exponentially: in other words, the 1906 quake that leveled San Francisco, an estimated M 7.8, was over eleven times stronger than the one in Mexico this week. The San Francisco quake was by no means the strongest to shake the United States, and seismologists agree the potential for a similar quake to shake our country isn’t just real — it’s also a lot more pervasive than most of us realize. Earthquakes are not just a Mexico problem. And for Americans, they aren’t solely a California problem. Salt Lake City. Memphis. Los Angeles. New York. Anchorage. Washington, D.C. Seattle. Each of these major cities is at risk for a damaging earthquake — without including the many of smaller municipalities at risk. And in many ways, they are not as prepared as Mexico City. The recent quake occurred on the 32nd anniversary of the city’s deadly 1985 quake, which killed approximately 10,000 people and destroyed 30,000 buildings. ...
Source: TIME.com: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Disasters Mexico Natural Disasters onetime Source Type: news