Environment
Almost Half of Americans Are at Risk From Earthquakes
That’s double a U.S. Geological Survey estimate made in 2006.
In 2006, the U.S. Geological Survey issued an alarming report saying more than 75 million Americans faced a “significant risk” from earthquakes.
Among its warnings: The East Coast could be hit extra hard because of its dense populations and lack of retrofitted structures; catastrophic tsunamis might swamp Alaska and the Pacific Northwest; and a repeat of “historic U.S. earthquakes, such as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake or the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes, could cause up to $500 billion in damage.”