FACTS

1. While earthquakes can occur in any Canadian region, British Columbia is most at risk from a major earthquake.
2. Earthquakes are typically caused by the movement of the earth crusts. These movements cause vibrations which pass through and around the world.
3. Earthquake Early Warning systems use seismic networks to detect earthquakes very rapidly so that these warnings can protect peoples’ lives. 
4. Ground vibrations during an earthquake are seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects caused by the ground shaking. It is extremely important for a person to move as little as possible to reach the place of safety he or she has identified, because most injuries occur when people try to move more than a few feet during the shaking.
5. All 50 states and all 45 territories are vulnerable to earthquake. 
6. California experiences the most frequent damaging earthquakes.
7. Alaska experiences the greatest member of large earthquakes. 
8. Earthquakes strike suddenly and without warning. They can occur throughout the year at any time of day or night. Each year 70-75 damaging earthquakes occur around the world.

STATS

• Earthquake caused a tsunami which lead to the following deaths: 159 Hawaii, 5 Alaska, 1 California.
• With a total number of 3,000 killed people, the earthquake in San Francisco on April 18, 1906 is the earthquake that caused the most fatalities within the United States. The number of fatalities includes people killed by earthquakes and resulting fires in San Francisco.
• The global number of deaths due to earthquakes varies from year to year. In 2010, about 320,120 people died as a result of earthquakes worldwide. In 2012 earthquakes only caused 768 fatalities.
• The world’s strongest earthquake in the time period from 1990 and 2013, according to measurement in the Richter scale, was the earthquake in Chile in 1960. With a magnitude of 9.5 this earthquake is the highest ranked earthquake. The magnitude of 9.0 and higher is defined as ‘Near or at total destruction – severe damage or collapse to all buildings. Heavy damage and shaking extends to distant locations. Permanent changes in ground topography. Death toll usually over 50,000.’
• The percentage of deaths in the United States in 2013, broken down by month. In 2013, most people died in January. About 10 percent of all 2.59 million deaths occurred during that month.
• 60% of American adults have not practiced what to do in a disaster in their homes or workplaces.
• 80% of americans live in countries that have been hit with a weather – related disaster since 2007.