We thought we had designed structures to reduce losses in an earthquake. But when the huge Northridge earthquake hit, and those major steel-framed buildings shook, their supporting joints cracked. If that earthquake had lasted another 30 seconds, we would have seen major collapse of high-rises. More awareness and responsibility at a local level, combined with broad coordination of mitigation efforts could save lives and reduce costs associated with disasters, said Mileti. It's not God and it's not nature, because we decide what to put in harm's way.
Engineers believe that engineering approaches can solve the problem.
Seismologists believe that more accurate predictions can solve the problem. At a local level, many faith-based response organizations have a mission of advocating for those most vulnerable to disasters. The poor are still consistently at a greater risk, the study found. It is the government's responsibility to ensure local communities have access to disaster-related research and information, Mileti maintained. When people choose to locate in an area that's high-risk, they need to know enough about their possible losses to be able to own those losses.