Krimgold and Walter Hays, a geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey National Center in Reston, Va., recently returned from Armenia, where they examined the damage and helped rescue efforts. Krimgold said recently constructed buildings with reinforced concrete frames and unreinforced masonry collapsed, while older buildings remained standing. The floor pieces of high-rise concrete buildings collapsed one upon the other, leaving virtually no chance for people to survive. An estimated 50,000 people died in the quakes. He said such buildings in Utah do not necessarily have to be evacuated immediately, but steps should be taken either to reinforce or reconstruct the buildings.
Building design is a matter of life and death.
Krimgold also questioned how well-prepared emergency teams are for such a disaster. He noted that crews were caught off guard last year when a building collapsed unexpectedly in Brownsville, Texas. When a building falls, it's not over. The Armenia quake ignited about 50 fires while it cut off water supplies. Krimgold said emergency teams from Utah and California should have traveled to Armenia.