Seattle launches effort to better prepare city for big earthquake

SEATTLE --Next week, the Seattle City Council will launch a three-month discussion on how to better protect citizens from major earthquakes.

Right now, there are some tough realities in the city's plan and what the public needs to know about a disaster preparedness.

Everyone knows Seattle could get clobbered any time with the big one - an earthquake that could wipe out the seawall, flood downtown, topple buildings and cost us billions.

Everyone knows the risk. Most of us have seen the Department of Transportation's animation of what could happen to the Alaskan viaduct and downtown Seattle in a big earthquake.

But real-life images from disaster-stricken areas like Japan put an exclamation point on what we already knew. And video from Christchurch, New Zealand showed the devastating impact of a shallow quake.

That's why Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn on Friday endorsed the city council's Let's Prepare effort, and wants citizens to understand where the city stands.

"If there is an earthquake, it is truly a disaster. There is no precaution you can take in advance that will prevent significant property damage," said McGinn.

The mayor says remember February 2001 when chandeliers swung and parts of old buildings fell. In the big one, a lot more buildings will fall. There will be injuries. There will be deaths.

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