Box 5. Earthquakes

From the following article:

Natural disasters: The chaos to come

Quirin Schiermeier

Nature 438, 903-906(15 December 2005)

doi:10.1038/438903a

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Past The devastation of San Francisco in 1906 (pictured) is legendary, but the deadliest earthquake known happened in China: at least half a million died in the Tangshan disaster of 1976.

Natural disastersThe chaos to come BETTMANN/CORBIS

Future Specialists point to China, the Himalayan front or the city of Tehran as possible locations for the first earthquake to cause a million casualties. Events in Tokyo, California and the Mississippi Valley are likely to cause the most economic damage. Improving construction standards and emergency plans could significantly reduce fatalities.

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