The earthquake in Haiti has made us keenly aware of the damage to life and property that these forces of nature can do. If you live in California, the Pacific Northwest or Hawaii, you are probably more aware of their destructive power. However, earthquakes occur routinely every day in the world and in places not known for them.

Earthquakes occur every day
Places like Washington DC, New York City and Chicago have all had earthquakes in the last 10 to 15 years. Luckily, these quakes have not made the front page or caused much damage other than frayed nerves and some broken dishes. Most people were barely aware of them when they did occur.

Still not a believer? Then take a look at the places where earthquakes have occurred in the last couple of days. This information is also collected by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and made available to the public. USGS scientists are keeping watch on earthquakes in every State. 

You might be wondering what's the chance that an earthquake will occur where you live. That's based on a lot of science and no one can say for sure. USGS scientists have stated what the probabilities are for earthquakes to occur in major faults in California. There's a 100 percent chance that an earthquake will occur somewhere in the world each day. You can report an earthquake to the USGS using the Did You Feel It? webpage.

Construction and Remodeling
Earthquakes have been studied for a long time. [Learn about the basics of earthquakes]. Scientists and engineers understand what happens to houses during an earthquake and as a result we can mitigate the damage by building houses in certain ways. Earthquakes can literally throw a house off of its foundation. This occurs from the thrusting, lateral motion and with rocking, rolling, uplifting action created by earthquakes. Homes built after 1950 have a greater chance of withstanding an earthquake, because many conform to more recent building codes that include measures to prevent the above from happening.

The federal government and the individual States in seismically active areas have strengthened building code requirements for all commercial and residential buildings. You may not be able to build a home that can stand up to a severe earthquake, but you can limit the damage and protect yourself and property when minor quakes occur. Many homes suffer minor structural damage over time even when a large earthquake does not occur.

These homes and very old homes may require what is called an earthquake retrofit. This usually includes:

• Bolting the house down to its foundation with steel bolts or plates.
• Connecting the floor and understructure.
• Increasing the shear strength or horizontal strength of the home.

There is no "one size fits all" for earthquake prevention for your home. You would be completely wrong to apply what is required in California to a home in Georgia. The States and your local building code dictate what's required so don't panic. Old homes are more problematic. In our opinion the States and the USGS are the best sources of objective information on earthquakes in your area.

Irrespective where you live, we suggest that you do pay particular attention to the structural elements when constructing your new home or doing an extensive remodel. Make sure that footings, foundations, and the bolting or plating used to bolt your home to its foundation are inspected by local building inspectors.


If you are purchasing a home in a seismically active area, conduct a home inspection that includes an earthquake damage review to make sure there are no major problems before you complete your purchase. If problems are found then you can get estimates to repair them or just walk away from the purchase altogether. A thorough inspection may require the services of a Professional Structural Engineer or an earthquake retrofitting service especially if you are in a seismically active area.

Resources and Articles

• Earthquake in Chicago
• Earthquake in New York City
• Earthquake in Washington DC