Two 6.9 magnitude earthquakes occurred approximately 6 months apart in 1988 and 1989. The death toll in the Armenian earthquake was 25,000 people, while the death toll in the Loma Prieta quake was 62 people. What factor was most responsible for the difference in the death toll?

Question

Geography

Erik Pearson

5 March, 12:11

Two 6.9 magnitude earthquakes occurred approximately 6 months apart in 1988 and 1989. The death toll in the Armenian earthquake was 25,000 people, while the death toll in the Loma Prieta quake was 62 people. What factor was most responsible for the difference in the death toll?

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Answers (1)

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Elliot Dorsey · Answer 1

hi!

Explanation:

A comparison between two very similar earthquakes supports this claim. Both occurred in densely populated regions, but had very different results. In 1988, the Spitak magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Armenia claimed more than 25,000 lives. On the contrary, the magnitude 7.1 earthquake Loma Prieta in California in 1989 caused only 63 deaths. "The difference in the number of deaths illustrates the enormous effect that high construction standards can have to save people's lives."