Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Hazard and risk are two different terms, which we illustrate in our explanatory video using a bear: A bear in the forest is a potential hazard because it could harm you. However, it only becomes a risk when you enter the forest.

The Christmas wreaths mark the areas with the greatest earthquake risk – the urban areas. Earthquake risk quantifies the potential impact of earthquakes on buildings and the associated financial and human losses. Although the earthquake risk differs in these regions, due to their size, all five cities are home to a large number of people and assets that would be affected by an earthquake. In addition, there are many buildings in these cities, some of which are particularly vulnerable and often located on soft ground that amplifies earthquake waves.