Public awareness was heightened. But the main reason damage was minimal is because this quake was not the big one. Because the quake was centered so deep in the earth, ground shaking was damped and so was the impact on communities. Also, the quake occurred in a low rainfall year, which greatly minimized landslide damages. An instant response Earthquake preparation starts long before an earthquake strikes.
Preparedness can determine the severity of damages and the efficiency of emergency response.
For example, building codes have improved to accommodate ground shaking levels expected from design level, or largest expected, earthquakes. At the same time, the science of determining the magnitude of a design level quake and what kind of shaking it will cause has improved in recent decades. Thus, while old buildings may be vulnerable to significant damage and even collapse, newer buildings are expected to withstand major quakes. Damage to the Fenix Underground, a nightclub in Seattle s Pioneer Square district. And in this information age, seismic instruments are being linked as networks, making it possible to calculate an earthquake s magnitude and location soon after it hits.