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In August 2016, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck a mountainous region of central Italy,
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killing 292 people and displacing more than two thousand.
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The picturesque towns were hit especially hard, as they’re made up of centuries-old
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buildings only accessible by small, winding roads.
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Roughly 20 major earthquakes occur every year, and while they always lead to some degree
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of devastation, some regions are more uniquely equipped than others.
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So, which countries are best able to withstand major earthquakes, and why?
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Well to start, a major earthquake is defined as anything above 7.0 on the richter scale.
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These seismic events have caused billions in damage and killed thousands of people,
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but primarily as a result of poor infrastructure and inefficient response, rather than the
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earth’s shaking.
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That said, one country that is highly prepared is Chile, which has suffered 13 earthquakes
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of magnitude 8 or above since 1906 - one of which was a 9.5 in 1960: the largest earthquake
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ever recorded.
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The country sits alongside the ring of fire, an area of the pacific ocean where roughly
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90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur.
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So to prepare for inevitable disaster, Chile has implemented regular earthquake emergency
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drills, strict building codes and a comprehensive early warning system, including sirens and
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mobile phone alerts.
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The country also maintains a disaster relief agency, which regularly practices evacuations,
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and trains rescue crews year-round.
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As a result, Chile’s most recent 8.3 major quake in 2015 only saw 13 deaths, compared
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to more than 1,600 in 1960 according to USGS.
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Earthquake preparedness is not unusual for developed countries, however implementation
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often slips through the cracks as a result of corruption and government negligence.
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For instance, many builders find it cheaper to pay a bribe to a public official than to
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comply with strict building codes.
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But this is not a common practice in Chile, where people reportedly take the potential
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threat of an earthquake very seriously.
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Another country with exceptional earthquake preparedness is Japan, which, like Chile,
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has a long and deadly history of frequent, major earthquakes.
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All new buildings must be able to sway with the earth’s shaking, and many older buildings
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have been retrofitted to do the same.
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Even more advanced are Japanese homes, most of which have special foundations that fill
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with compressed air when the earth shakes so that the home actually levitates.
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In the likely event a major earthquake strikes, all bullet trains come to an immediate halt,
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and TV channels switch to live coverage of relief efforts, including maps of coastal
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areas that are at risk of tsunamis.
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In 2007, Japan launched a nationwide earthquake warning system that detects tremors, determines
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the quake’s epicenter and sends online warnings throughout the country.
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It is considered the most advanced early-warning system in the world.
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But not all small, fault-lining countries are so prepared.
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In 2010, Haiti suffered a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, resulting in more than 150,000 deaths.
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So why were they so unprepared?
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In a word, money.
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Haiti is one of the poorest countries on earth, while Chile and Japan have strong economies
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that are able to fund preparedness programs and emergency response measures, making a
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major earthquake somewhat manageable.
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In the end, when it comes to earthquakes, the greatest armor is wealth.