Would earthquakes of similar magnitudes in different regions of the Earth cause approximately the same levels of damage necessarily? In your explanation, consider both geologic and human-induced factors

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

No. The magnitude of an earthquake and the duration of the shaking are certainly factors in the damage but the level of damage depends on a number of other things as well. Probably the two most important factors are ground conditions and construction methods. An earthquake in a region where houses are built on thick unconsolidated and/or saturated sediments will have more damage due to amplification of the ground motion by surface waves and liquefaction than an earthquake that occurs in an area where houses are built on solid rock. Similarly, houses that are poorly constructed with a lot of unreinforced masonary or concrete block will experience much greater damage than well built, reinforced homes or homes built with wood.