Damage Caused by Earthquakes, Magnitude 6.0 or Greater
As the total number of natural disasters this year begins to rise, the most recent earthquakes are, at a minimum, a warning sign to protect your investments.
At least 12 earthquakes of a 6.0 or higher magnitude have happened over just the last two months!
You can only imagine the amount of damage done by those 12 earthquakes:
- How many people were affected? Displaced from their home? Lost their belongings? Lost their place of work?
- What is the cost of materials and labor needed to restore the damage?And, one of the biggest questions: Who will pay?
On average, as many as 27 million people become displaced from their homes every decade because of natural disasters.
What does an earthquake, magnitude 6.0 or greater, feel like?
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Mexico on Thursday. This earthquake on September, 22nd caused buildings to sway and was felt throughout the state. The damage also included landslides on the highway connecting Michoacan and Guerrero. The earthquake struck shortly after 1 a.m. Three days after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook western and central Mexico.
Paul Moch, 34, and his girlfriend, Jimena David, 31, had grabbed their 5-year-old dog, Senshi, and left their home with a black backpack full of earthquake supplies: a flashlight, face masks, an extra dog leash, a blanket, and a first-aid kit.
“It felt ugly,” Paul Moch said. “What I’ve learned from the past is that you don’t know when the peak will hit.”
7.6 magnitude earthquake in Aquilla, Mexico
Just yesterday, September 19, 2022, Aquila, Mexico, experienced a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. That is not the first time on this date either. Mexico experienced three earthquakes on the same date, September 19th in 1985, 2017, and 2022.
Mexico’s National Autonomous University declared that the occurrence of three earthquakes of greater than 7.0 magnitude was strictly a quirk with no broader significance. “There is no scientific reason that explains” the coincidental timing, the university’s seismological division said on Twitter.
6.9 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan
Besides earthquakes happening on the same day in different years being such a random coincidence, here are some reasons you should consider protecting the investment in your home with earthquake insurance. On September 19th, in Taiwan, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake caused building damage, derailed a train, destroyed a bridge, and triggered a tsunami watch. Following the quake, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen activated the island’s Central Emergency Operation Center. In a recorded statement, Tsai has asked Taiwanese residents to stay alert to avoid potential aftershocks. As they continued to feel shaking in the aftershocks, a CNN reporter stated, “It feels like you are on a boat when the building starts swaying back and forth.”
6.6 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan, China
At least 65 people were lost on September 5th due to a 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan, China. Aftershocks were still being felt on Tuesday, with a reported number of 248 injuries. Homes were severely damaged, buildings collapsed, and makeshift bridges were made to carry injured residents. Sichuan, a province of 84 million, has had a list of challenges, including drought in the last two months and the worst heatwave in 60 years. Sichuan has also seen multiple earthquakes as of late; last year, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit, and three people lost their lives, while 60 were injured. In 2008, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan. This was a devasting earthquake as almost 90,000 lives were lost, and tremors could be felt in cities more than 900 miles away.
Did you know that your homeowner’s insurance policy does not provide coverage for earthquake damage?
Most homeowners DO NOT know their Homeowners policy does not provide coverage for earthquake damage. Now is the time to talk to all your clients about their earthquake risks.
Stay prepared
It is essential to be prepared if you own a home in an Earthquake prone region like California, Oregon, and Washington. All these states, CA, OR, and WA, are located along the “ring of fire,” one of the most seismically active regions in the world.
People in California live in the most EQ-prone area in the US. California has more earthquakes that cause damage than any other state and yet only 13% of the people have earthquake insurance. So put your mind at ease, get in touch with your agent today and protect your most valuable assets.
Austin Elliot, a research geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, said of the recent tremors around the Bay Area, “It would require hundreds of magnitude 4s to release the stress that a magnitude seven releases. Big earthquakes are inevitable, and these smaller ones should count as lucky reminders to get prepared.”
