Earthquakes: Additional Actions Needed to Identify and Mitigate Risks to Federal Buildings and Implement an Early Warning System
Abstract
Earthquakes pose a significant threat to people and infrastructure because of their capacity to cause catastrophic casualties, property damage, and economic disruption. According to the USGS, 16 states have a relatively high likelihood of experiencing damaging ground shaking in the next 50 years, and nearly half of all Americans are exposed to potentially damaging earthquakes. GAO was asked to review efforts to mitigate against earthquakes impacts in the United States. Specifically, this report address (1) actions select cities have taken to mitigate seismic risks, (2) the distribution of federal buildings relative to earthquake prone areas and actions to identify and mitigate seismic risks to these buildings, and (3) what is known about the benefits of USGS's earthquake early warning system, ShakeAlert, and the extent to which implementation challenges are being addressed. GAO reviewed key documents and federal authorities; collected federal building inventory information; conducted site visits to selected cities--Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Memphis; and interviewed, among others, federal, state, and local officials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1168959
Entities
People
- Aaron Safer-lichtenstein
- Amber H. Sinclair
- Chris P. Currie
- David J. Wise
- Dominick M. Dale
- Edward George
- Eric Hauswirth
- Gary M. Malavenda
- Grant Mallie
- Jeffrey Fiore
- John Mingus
- Katrina E. Pekar-carpenter
- Kristiana Moore
- Les Locke
- Melinda Cordero
- Michele C. Fejfar
- Mike Armes
- R. D. Herring
- Samuel Woo
- Tracey King
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office