Looking at the Bay Area landscape, one sees trees, mountains, the bay and ocean, as well as homes, businesses, and schools, but in an instant, the vista can shift with an earthquake, wildfire, or flood. There are steps that can be taken to help prepare for these types of natural disasters. Many have used the ABAG Earthquake and Hazards website (quake.abag.ca.gov) as a critical information resource when planning ahead for natural disasters. This popular website, which was the first of its kind introduced in the 1990s, has been redesigned to make earthquake and hazard information easier to access and use. “This modernized, user-friendly virtual gateway will be even more helpful in preparing the Bay Area for natural disasters and the challenges of recovery,” says Danielle Hutchings, ABAG Regional Earthquake and Hazards Program Coordinator.
The comprehensive website features interactive maps that, for the first time, tie vulnerability and risk to the Bay Area from specific hazards. User tabs provide information on what residents, homeowners, local governments, businesses, researchers and students can do to prevent building and housing losses and develop emergency plans. The “Housing” pages have been updated with descriptions of vulnerable housing types and estimates of housing losses and disruption in future earthquakes that are linked to hazard maps. A new feature is an infrastructure loss page with information about potential transportation system damage and road closures, as well as analyses of water/wastewater system disruption.
The “Students” page has been revised and updated featuring special animations and geology fieldtrip suggestions. A “News and Announcements section” has been updated to include the latest research and “easier to access” hazard mapping pages, and includes a Twitter account with weekly disaster planning tips for residents.
The website update and redesign were sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. For more information about ABAG’s Earthquake and Hazard Program, contact Danielle Hutchings, 510/464-7951, danielleh@abag.ca.gov.