The devastating magnitude-8.8 earthquake that shook Chile over the weekend has caused over 700 deaths and displaced 1.5 million people. While the damage was vast, Chile was spared the massive loss of life experienced in Haiti’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake because of stricter building codes and infrastructure requirements. The quake’s epicenter in Chile was also removed from larger population centers which helped to moderate the destruction.
With both earthquakes occurring in close proximity to the U.S. concerned citizens have to wonder: Can America survive a magnitude-8.8 quake? The two major areas of concern in the U.S. are California and Alaska, both of which have experienced massive quakes in their recent history.
Scientists are unsure exactly how to predict these natural disasters, but there is consensus that inevitably one will occur.
“An earthquake happening in the United States is not a matter of ‘if,’ it is a matter of ‘when.’”
Full Story: Are We Prepared for an 8.8 Quake?
Images of past earthquakes that have rocked the nation: