3.6 magnitude quake struck near Angwin, Northern California
The San Francisco Chronicle reported an earthquake west of Lake Berryessa that the U.S. Geological Survey recorded at 3.6 magnitude shortly before sunrise on a Monday morning in late October. This is no surprise given that this area sits between two active fault lines. There are literally thousands of low-velocity trembles that occur each year in the Napa Valley region, which lies north of the Green Valley Fault according to Keith Knudsen, deputy director of the USGS Earthquake Science Center at Menlo Park.
These common quakes do not seem to be alarming now however, the USGS estimates there is a 72% chance that an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude or higher will hit the Bay Area within the next three decades. And, the last tremblor on that scale was 1989’s Loma Prieta earthquake that killed 63 people, injured 3,757 and caused billions of dollars in damage to the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions.
This type of destruction may not be 100% preventable however, there are measures to take to ensure your building is earthquake resistant. Seismic retrofits and structural strengthening are not only the responsible and right actions to pursue but the only way to protect your assets.
Is your building safe and seismic retrofitted for when the big one hits? The larger the quake the more devasting the impact. Commercial buildings are at high risk with additional factors at stake including tenants and tenant losses to structural damage or harm to employees. Be sure to protect your assets and save money upfront with structural strengthening and performing commercial seismic retrofits.
The future buyer will discount the price of a retrofit when you sell the building. You should perform the retrofit for monetary and liability reasons.