... the Steinbrugger Report, published in 1970. The Steinbrugger Report was in itself a summary and consensus exercise, building on a report produced by the USGS the previous year, on how to develop a ten year strategy for reducing hazards posed by earthquakes.
Until the early 1960s, although geologists had some awareness of the potential hazards of seismic activity, the public in general had no idea. This changed after a large earthquake in Alaska in April, 1964. This was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale.
It's important to put into context the lack of previous concerted effort by the US government to recognise the risks of earthquakes. The theory of Plate Tectonics and everything that stems from that about understanding magma flows and shifts in the Earth crust, had itself only become widely accepted in the mid 1960s. Moreover, the US states with the highest earthquake risks (Alaska, Washington, California) still contained a relatively small percentage of the US population in the early 1960s.
The National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act was passed by the US Congress in 1977, with NEHRP (the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program) being implemented from 1978 onwards.
Until the early 1960s, although geologists had some awareness of the potential hazards of seismic activity, the public in general had no idea. This changed after a large earthquake in Alaska in April, 1964. This was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale.
It's important to put into context the lack of previous concerted effort by the US government to recognise the risks of earthquakes. The theory of Plate Tectonics and everything that stems from that about understanding magma flows and shifts in the Earth crust, had itself only become widely accepted in the mid 1960s. Moreover, the US states with the highest earthquake risks (Alaska, Washington, California) still contained a relatively small percentage of the US population in the early 1960s.
The National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act was passed by the US Congress in 1977, with NEHRP (the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program) being implemented from 1978 onwards.
