Another Natural Disaster.

February 22, 2005 9:36 AM

Hundreds killed in Iranian quakeOn a smaller scale than the December tsunami, but no less a disaster to the people this quake hit.
posted by davy (13 comments total)

some will claim it was the result of iran's unfortunate geology, others will claim it was the will of god.

and others, like myself, observing the fact that in the 1989 loma prieta quake, which measured at 6.9, only 63 people out of the whole population of san fransicso were killed will claim that maybe a lack of building codes was somehow to blame.
posted by three blind mice at 9:54 AM on February 22, 2005

three blind mice, also, loma prieta being more than 70 miles from San Francisco helped no doubt (I know this because the epicenter is about six miles from where I sit right now).

Building codes are a huge factor in survivable earthquakes.

Anyone saying this was the will of god shouldn't be listened to.
posted by fenriq at 10:14 AM on February 22, 2005

Without intending to make light of the disaster, construction methods and materials have a huge effect on the outcome of an earthquake. The photo in the link appears to show common concrete-and-rebar construction, which doesn't stand up well under earthquake stresses. (Disclaimer: I am not an engineer or architect.) In a seismically active place, use of earthquake-susceptible building materials and methods just magnifies the disaster. (I live in San Francisco and went through the 1989 Loma Prieta quake. Afterward it was obvious even to non-engineers which buildings had not been designed to withstand earthquakes.)

While coping with static loads is pretty straightforward, apparently it takes some high-powered engineering to cope with severe dynamic loads, especially the lateral stresses that occur during earthquakes (some old wooden houses here popped off their foundations!) Traditional building methods just can't handle it, especially when the only materials available are heavy inflexible stone and concrete. (Those old wooden houses that sheared off their foundations were flexible enough to absorb the stresses pretty well otherwise - there was damage, sure, but not total collapse.) So if you're going to make concrete buildings in earthquake country, you need engineers and building codes. On preview, just like 3 blind mice and fenriq said.

Remember: "Earthquakes don't kill people; buildings kill people".
posted by Quietgal at 10:27 AM on February 22, 2005

Real sad disaster. I first read of this on Fark -- apparently, they think it's real funny over there.
posted by LordSludge at 11:32 AM on February 22, 2005

LordSludge, funny, I knew there was a reason I stopped visiting Fark well over a year ago. Well, this sort of reaction and the covert pay-for posts mixed in with the other stuff.
posted by fenriq at 11:49 AM on February 22, 2005

Thanks for posting this.

Can we please not use this as yet another excuse for bashing the religious?
posted by languagehat at 2:02 PM on February 22, 2005

There's also this:

A 30-foot-tall heap of garbage collapsed onto a neighborhood Monday, killing 19 people and crushing dozens of houses, officials said.

posted by smackfu at 2:50 PM on February 22, 2005

Am I the only one that finds it very sad that the post before this one about paper being made from elephant poop got my response than this after hundreds of people dying?
posted by fenriq at 3:27 PM on February 22, 2005

got MORE response, not my. Damn.
posted by fenriq at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2005

It's an earthquake. They happen. Sure it's sad, but it just isn't that interesting to talk about.
posted by smackfu at 3:55 PM on February 22, 2005

I'm surprised no one in the press mentioned a possible underground nuclear test, which are known to cause subsequent earthquakes. On the other hand, Iran does sit on a number of geological fault lines.
posted by AlexReynolds at 7:02 PM on February 22, 2005

So our new earthquake weapon works. That's good right?
posted by snsranch at 8:41 PM on February 22, 2005

I'm surprised no one in the press mentioned a possible underground nuclear test, which are known to cause subsequent earthquakes.

but that wouldn't be news, that would be pure speculation. especially since "Iran is the worst-hit country in the world in terms of earthquakes."
the reaction of people on fark.. wow. they must all be very comfortable in their smug indifference. it takes a lot of global military dominance to create that level of comfort in a citizenry.
posted by blendor at 10:52 AM on February 23, 2005