Why think about seismic hazard? Every few months images on television tell of the deadly impacts of a natural disaster in some part of the world. Along the western coast of the US the potential for a major earthquake that will impact the daily lives of millions is very real. For example, in the Bay Area it is estimated that the probability of a major damaging earthquake by 2032 is 62%. Such an earthquake will have both an immediate and long-term impact on the surrounding cities as was witnessed in the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans. What to do to reduce the impact of an earthquake.

Earthquakes (red dots) across western North America

What is on this site?

These resources have been gathered to provide practical guidelines for preparedness as well as provide information about earthquakes, faults and likely ground shaking. Different types of building behave differently in an earthquake, but in all cases a building can be made safer. Finally, the losses of past earthquakes and likely losses of future earthquakes are included to provide perspective on scale of earthquake impacts.

The resources come from many organizations and researchers around the world. They have been gathered for use by students participating in the UC Berkeley's class EPS 20: Earthquakes in your backyard taught by Professor Richard Allen but are available to anyone.

© Richard Allen