San Francisco

Bay Area Falls Behind on Earthquake Safety: Report

A newspaper analysis finds the San Francisco Bay Area is falling behind on efforts to retrofit buildings that are vulnerable to collapse during a major earthquake.

The Los Angeles Times reports Sunday that there are up to 3,000 brittle concrete buildings in San Francisco, yet the city doesn't have a list of where they are located. The building type is one of the deadliest in quakes.

Across the bay in Oakland, there are nearly 2,000 possibly vulnerable wood-frame apartment buildings at risk of collapse in a seismic event — and there is no law to require them to be fixed. And the newspaper says San Jose doesn't even have a list of its more than 1,000 apartment buildings thought to be at risk.

The Times says Southern California cities have taken the lead statewide in seismic safety requirements.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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