Earthquakes topping 7.5 in magnitude in Turkey and Syria offer a glimpse into what is possible if this happens in urbanized areas such as Los Angeles or San Francisco.
The United States has already seen quakes that large, but scientists are certain that California is due for a large temblor. Here are some takeaways from the Turkey earthquake.
TURKEY PROBES CONTRACTORS AS DEATHS TOP 33,000
California is overdue for an earthquake
The largest quakes to strike the U.S. were Anchorage (magnitude 9.4) in 1904, the Pacific Coast (magnitude 9.0) in 1700, and San Francisco (magnitude 7.9) in 1906.
“There will be 7.8s in our future, absolutely. We have the faults. We’ve seen it in the past. It will happen again,” Lucy Jones, seismologist at the California Institute of Technology, told the Los Angeles Times.
The quake in Turkey was followed by a second one 60 miles away in Syria. Large secondary quakes and aftershocks are common. An earthquake on the San Andreas Fault that runs through Los Angeles could create widespread damage up the coast.
California would face catastrophic damages
The U.S. Geological Society published a report stating that damages would cost $200 billion and affect communications services as cell towers are damaged. Utilities such as gas and power would be limited and roads disrupted for travel.
Officials estimate that at least 800 people would die with 18,000 injured if a quake struck the smaller Hayward Fault below Oakland.
Lax building standards contribute to devastation
Over the years, California has upgraded its building and bridge standards to withstand large earthquakes. While Turkey has done this as well, they are rarely enforced.
Shoddy construction appears to be the norm as more than 23,000 people died when buildings collapsed. The Turkish government has vowed to hold people accountable and arrested one building contractor on Friday as he attempted to board an airplane leaving the country, the Associated Press reported.
California has many buildings that could also collapse
Many buildings have not been upgraded in California as building standards increased. Many World War II-era concrete structures exist in Los Angeles, made with non-ductile concrete, which is not flexible.
Other buildings such as apartments with a ground-floor parking garage or unreinforced brick buildings are at risk. Southland cities have retrofit deadlines that are 20 years away.
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Prepare now, not later
Much can be done in advance to prepare for an earthquake. First, start with your home — seismic retrofitting can cost as little as $5,000 in Southern California and is needed on homes built before 1980, the Los Angeles Times reported. Other things you can do include:
- Strap your water heater to the wall
- Install a natural gas shutoff valve
- Keep all your important papers in one place
- Stock up on bottled water
- Make copies of prescription records
- Have cash on hand and a paper road map
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, flashlights, and batteries
