“[Mayor] Newsom said the Department of Building Inspection has mapped out the ‘most vulnerable parts of San Francisco’ to a violent quake. Residents might be surprised, however, that it is not the Marina but the Outer Sunset that is most vulnerable.”
∙ Quake safety an ‘obligation’ [Examiner]
Anyone have a link to the maps?
I’d be interested by the map too.
A pretty comprehensive article (with a map) from SPUR in 2004 can be found there:
http://www.spur.org/documents/040801_article_01.shtm
Vulnerability to shaking is only part of the story. Residents should also consider vulnerability to fire as well.
The firestorm that kicked up after the shaking stopped in 1906 caused far more damage than the initial quake.
Another quake of the same size might overwhelm SFFD. If something downhill and/or upwind from where you are collapses and triggers a fire, you might be in the path of danger even though your building is undamaged.
That SPUR document had a glaring error which makes me question all of it. It said “When the “Great Earthquake” hit in 1906, San Francisco was the eighth largest city in the United States, and by far the largest city west of the Mississippi.” Wrong. St.Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi, by more than 100000.
The fire situation is very different now that it is common for buildings to have fire sprinklers. Careful reviews of history show that the quake itself may have done more damage than expected, but this was later covered up by talk of the fire in part in order to downplay the risk of continuing to live in a city on a fault.
Fire sprinklers are great so long as there is water pressure in the pipes. However, if the mains have all been destroyed…
Seismic upgrades? Gotta be kidding. Heated towel racks is what’s on Joe Blow’s mind these days. Baltimore has more seismic engineers than San Francisco.
We’re almost finished with a seismic upgrade of our SFR. Steel Moment Frame, foundation work, bolting and sheer wall. It’ll end up costing 200K. Let’s hope it’s valuable for the next buyer as well.
congrats shazam,
seismic retro is a serious pain-costly,long and painful.