The potential for serious loss of life and property damage due to tectonic plate movement is relatively great. About 40% of the world's largest cities within 160 KM (100 miles) of a plate boundary. About 300 millions people, 80% of those in developing countries where majority of buildings need to be seismic retrofitted. About 200 millions are threatened by active volcanoes, most live along teh subduction zones of the Pacific Rings of Fire, where 75% of the Earth's 850 active volcanoes are located.
About every two days, somehere in the world, there is an earthquake of from 6 to 6.9 on the Richter scale -roughly equivalent to the quake that shook Northridge and the rest of southern california on January 1994, or Kobe, Japan in January 1995. Once or twice a month, on average, there's a 7 to 7.9 quake somewhere. There is about one 8 to 9 earthquake similar to magnitude to the March 1964 earthquake in Alaska or March 2011 earthquake in Northeastern Japan - each year.
Largest losses of life and property can occur whn these earquakes occur in populated areas.
About every two days, somehere in the world, there is an earthquake of from 6 to 6.9 on the Richter scale -roughly equivalent to the quake that shook Northridge and the rest of southern california on January 1994, or Kobe, Japan in January 1995. Once or twice a month, on average, there's a 7 to 7.9 quake somewhere. There is about one 8 to 9 earthquake similar to magnitude to the March 1964 earthquake in Alaska or March 2011 earthquake in Northeastern Japan - each year.
Largest losses of life and property can occur whn these earquakes occur in populated areas.
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