Shaky earthquake policy: time to shift to action

The US Geological Survey recently estimated the 30-year likelihood of a 6.7 or greater earthquake in California is greater than 99 percent, with a 93 percent chance that it will exceed 7.0. The San Francisco Bay area and the Los Angeles basin are also susceptible to landslides and soil liquefaction, which enhance earthquake damage and would likely affect gas, sewer and water lines and the road system. If the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 were to hit under current economic and demographic conditions, it would cause insured losses of $50 to $120 billion, with total economic losses potentially exceeding $250 billion.