Earthquake preparedness and geohazard vulnerability in Chile

Chile is vulnerable to secondary hazards of earthquakes. Combining information on vulnerability with geoscience can help the country better prepare for secondary hazards, and better prepare for future earthquakes.

Geoscientists and others who work to prevent fatalities caused by earthquakes usually always stress that earthquakes don’t kill people, but poorly constructed buildings do. Chile is a prime example of how better building practices can save lives. It has building codes in place that are comparable to many developed countries that experience seismic hazards.