A possible 6.9-magnitude earthquake in San Diego will have “devastating consequences” for the southwestern US city, a new study has revealed.
The scenario survey was released earlier this week by the San Diego Regional Chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute which predicted that the quake will damage more than 100,000 buildings and cause economic losses worth up to $38 billion.
“Community and economic activity could be disrupted for years until the region’s housing stock, commercial and government facilities, and infrastructure are repaired or replaced", according to the study.
Current view from NWS San Diego towards the snow on Palomar Mountain (one report had 22.5 inches of snow there). There's just a hint of autumn foliage in the foreground as well! #cawx #sandiegowx #MountainSnow pic.twitter.com/h5sJbVvJ7U
— NWS San Diego (@NWSSanDiego) November 30, 2019
The document focused on the city’s Rose Canyon Fault Zone which “strikes through the heart of the San Diego metropolitan area, presenting a major seismic hazard to the San Diego region, one of the fastest growing population centres in California and home to over 3.3 million residents”.
“The region’s large population coupled with the poor seismic resistance of its older buildings and infrastructure systems, make San Diego vulnerable to earthquakes”, the study underlined.
To prepare San Diego for seismic activity, the survey called for taking a spate of steps, including “county-wide” research of earthquake-related hazards and creation of a "seismic resilience group to identify mitigation actions, priorities, and funding”.
The report suggested that a better understanding of “the severity of damage” will help communities take mitigation measures “to aid in reducing the potential impacts to life and property and societal disruption in the region following future earthquakes”.
The document pointed out that “the conclusion of this report is a call to action in the form of a vision for a seismically resilient San Diego”.
The study was echoed by Gary Johnston, chief resilience officer for the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services, who told the local newspaper Union-Tribune that even though the probability of a 6.9-magnitude quake is low, “the consequences are high” and that “it focuses us on things we can do now to mitigate and prepare for an earthquake”.
