The same reason young people risk their lives to take selfies on cliffs is similar to the earthquake threat. If it happens, a fall perhaps, then it will happen to someone else, certainly not me.
But then, there is this, University of Washington M9 Seismic Study, a multi-year study to look at how modern high-rise buildings respond to a Cascadia Subduction earthquake. Answer: depending on the seismic wave, not so good! Tall buildings built back in the 1970s might fail completely — as in destroyed, toppled, pancaked, etc. Yikes! But then, when will that happen?
The risks continue to grow — however our collective awareness of the risks is paltry in comparison. While it is great for building engineers to have this data, just about everyone should be aware of the risks. Still, I see where MOD Pizza proudly announced that their newest store in Seattle is located in Pioneer Square! Yeah! Likely in an unreinforced masonry building (URM) that will pancake in a major earthquake (I can't vouch for their specific building — but, if I was a guessing man ... not many have been seismically mitigated). So, go have a great slice of pizza and risk your life to do so. Everyone else living, working, visiting the Pioneer Square area are in the same boat, so if they are not worried — why should I be worried?
Enjoy!
