San Salvador's earthquake vulnerability

In the wake of the devastating earthquake in China this week, Forbes reported on a study of earthquake vulnerability by GeoHazards International, an NGO working towards earthquake safety around the globe. Of the 20 cities worldwide ranked as most vulnerable to earthquakes, San Salvador was ranked number 7:
The country's 220-square-mile capital city, home to 2.2 million people, has been the site of numerous earthquakes throughout its history, most recently in 2001. A 6.0 quake would kill an estimated 11,500.

GeoHazards also released a study in 2001 after the earthquakes which hit El Salvador pointing out that many measures to reduce the damage and fatalities those quakes caused are both feasible and relatively low cost. This week US military personnel participated in disaster preparedness exercises in El Salvador simulating response to a devastating earthquake.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I went through the October 1986 quake in San Salvador that killed around 2000 people. Not much fun but I was quite surprised at how quickly things got back to normal. I hate earthquakes.

Mark
2:37 PM
Hodad said…
all this worry over communist Chinas quake,
what about our's in 2001?,
it was horrible, and yes i have also been in many around the world
and we are vulnerable, but worse is hurricanes, grew up on atlantic Carolina Coast

screw China,
1:05 PM
Anonymous said…
According to the Forbes article, the cities are ranked according to the estimated number of deaths that would result from a 6.0 magnitude quake. San Salvador's 11,500 estimate was matched by Mexico City and Izmir, Turkey.
6:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Unfortunately, Earthquakes are part of normal life in EL Salvador since are very frequent.

That's the only thing I hate about El Salvador.
3:06 PM
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