Seismic risk

Seismic risk or earthquake risk is the potential impact on the built environment and on people’s well-being from future earthquakes. Seismic risk has been defined, for most management purposes, as the potential economic, social and environmental consequences of hazardous events that may occur in a specified period of time. A building located in a region of high seismic hazard is at lower risk if it is built to sound seismic engineering principles. On the other hand, a brick building on fill that is subject to liquefaction in a region of minor seismicity can be at higher risk.