![]() ![]() “I think cost is one factor, so is complacency” Kenneth Hudnut from the USGS said, explaining why many have not chosen to retrofit their homes to withstand an earthquake. “It’s been a long time since the damaging 1989 earthquake in the Bay area and 1994 quake here in LA. The most recent earthquake in Los Angeles was in Northridge in 1994 – that measured 6.7.īut with no real way of giving warning and impossible to predict when the quake will come, the question is whether those in Los Angeles – which is expected to be badly hit – are deliberately avoiding preparing for what lies ahead. To get a sense of this, it’s worth consulting a new statewide map of earthquake hazards released by the California Geological Survey.Experts say a large earthquake is long overdue along the San Andreas fault and are predicting that it could measure between 7 and 8 magnitude on the Richter scale. When assessing the vulnerability of your home to earthquake damage, it’s also a good idea to see what kind of risks you might be exposed to in your area. All three lists are simply buildings that building safety officials have singled out for further review. Some may have been retrofitted and others may have been seismically sound to begin with. In Santa Monica, the number is closer to 2,000.Ĭlick the above links to check those lists-and be aware that just because a building is on one of these lists doesn’t mean it is unsafe. In West Hollywood, roughly 800 buildings have been identified as possible hazards. Outside of the city of Los Angeles, Santa Monica and West Hollywood are also requiring retrofits to potentially vulnerable buildings and have released similar lists available to the public. In 2014, the Los Angeles Times compiled a database of concrete buildings in the city of LA that were constructed before 1976, when stricter seismic standards went into effect for new buildings. Older concrete buildings are also particularly prone to collapse in major earthquakes because many were not constructed with strong enough steel framing to keep them in place. Property owners have seven years to comply with those orders, so it’s best to check in with your landlord to get a better idea of when updates to the building will be complete. If your building is on the list, you’ll also be able to see when your landlord received an order to retrofit the structure or prove that necessary repairs have already been made. ![]() Just enter your address into the search tool and click on the “Soft-story Retrofit Program Information” button once your building’s information appears. Using the Department of Building and Safety website, you can easily check to see if your building is on that list. Many dingbats collapsed during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. LA’s most prominent examples of soft-story architecture are its familiar dingbat complexes, in which apartments are situated above bottom-floor carports. Those bottom levels were often built to accommodate on-site parking and have fewer walls and pillars. ![]() These aren’t the only buildings susceptible to damage, but they are especially dangerous because of weak lower levels that don’t provide enough support to the upper floors. In 2016, the city of Los Angeles released a list of more than 13,000 “ soft-story” buildings vulnerable to collapse in a major earthquake. Soft-story buildings In this file photo, rescue workers walk past the Northridge Meadows Apartments that collapsed during the 1994 earthquake. If you’re wondering how your residence will hold up, valuable resources are available to check on the safety of your home. Thousands of homes and apartment buildings are at risk of major damage in Los Angeles, though new rules requiring seismic retrofits for some of the most vulnerable structures should help mitigate the destruction. Given that, it’s good to know what you’re up against.Īn important part of that is understanding risks you may face at the place you’re likely to be during the next major quake: home. As nerve-wracking as it may be, preparing for the big one is part of living in LA.Īccording to the United States Geological Survey, there’s a 60 percent chance an earthquake measuring in at magnitude 6.7 or higher will strike the Los Angeles area in the next 30 years there’s also a nearly one-in-three chance that earthquake will measure in at 7.5 on the Richter scale. One of the most earthquake-prone urban areas in the nation, Los Angeles is likely to be rocked by a major temblor within the next few decades.
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