Hundreds of Puget Sound buildings at risk during earthquake, retrofits expensive

SEATTLE — More than two decades after a major earthquake destroyed buildings across Puget Sound, many remain vulnerable to collapse. Experts say we’re not fully prepared ahead of when the next earthquake hits.

“Only California has a higher risk of costly damage and also casualties during earthquakes,” said Harold Tobin, Director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. “Washington is number two out of all 50 states in the country.”

Many in the surrounding Seattle area can still recall the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually Earthquake, which shook the Sound for 45 seconds in 2001.

The event led to hundreds of injuries and cost millions of dollars in damage.

“We couldn’t even describe the sound,” said Tobie Moore, who was setting up a P.E. class in Bremerton when the earthquake hit. “It was so just thunderous.”

The earthquake served as a wake-up call for the region, but 23 years later, experts warn we haven’t prepared enough for the next one.

Many people in the area told KIRO 7 they were surprised to hear how at risk Washington was.

More than 1,000 earthquakes occur in the state each year, according to Washington’s Emergency Management Division, though only about a dozen or more produce ground shaking strong enough to feel.

“We don’t tend to feel those moderate-sized ones very often,” Tobin said.

Earthquakes like Nisqually, between magnitudes 6 and 7.5, occur every 30 to 50 years in Washington, according to the Washington State Military Department.

“We really can’t predict earthquakes on any kind of timescale,” Tobin said. “But we still have that risk of the big, damaging earthquakes.”

Most at risk during an earthquake are “unreinforced masonry buildings,” or URMs. These are older buildings typically made of brick that lack reinforcing steel bars. During an earthquake, these buildings can break into pieces and collapse.

While they’re not the only buildings at risk during seismic events, they can be some of the most dangerous.

“Those are the buildings that can kill people,” Tobin said.

A state database highlights thousands of potential URMs across the state, including homes, medical centers, and schools. Many have been retrofitted, but others have not.

In some cases, people living, working, or going to school in these vulnerable properties have no clue they may be at risk.

“Does it concern you?” KIRO 7 reporter Madeline Ottilie asked one resident living in a URM in First Hill that had not been retrofitted.

“I guess we’ll have to wait until the next earthquake comes to find out,” he said.

There are hundreds of residential buildings flagged as URMs in Seattle alone. While many have had some work done to improve safety, several have not.

“I would not feel comfortable living in an un-retrofitted URM in Seattle,” Tobin said, acknowledging that not everyone is lucky enough to have the choice.

It’s not just homes that are affected. Several schools have been flagged as at risk across the state.

In Puyallup, for example, a 2021 survey conducted for the state identified several schools that were at risk for collapse in either isolated locations or widespread locations.

Problem spots included Meeker Elementary School’s main building, Mt View Elementary School’s main building and multipurpose building, Waller Road Elementary’s main building, and Wildwood Elementary’s main building.

A district spokesperson confirmed no seismic improvements had been made since then due to the need for additional funding. The spokesperson said the district was actively planning for a future bond measure that would replace and/or renovate existing buildings.

Seismic retrofits are not cheap. In some cases, funding sources are available, but they can be far and few between.

“A small building? A couple hundred thousand dollars,” said Ryan Vytlacil, who owns Seattle Seismic, a company dedicated to retrofit work. “A four- or five-story apartment building, definitely over a million.”

Vytlacil said he believes funding is a major roadblock for people retrofitting their buildings. He said the process can also be confusing, as local jurisdictions continue to develop safety and retrofit standups.

Another challenge is tracking. While the state keeps tabs on older buildings and URMs, most jurisdictions beyond Seattle do not publish up-to-date retrofit progress.

That means you have to do the work yourself to find out if your building is safe.

We identified two suspected URMs in the state’s URM database and dug into their history ourselves.

Both First United Methodist Church in Olympia and Everett High School are flagged in the database, but both have had seismic work done.

The church has made some seismic improvements, and Everett High School has had significant seismic retrofit done across multiple buildings.

If you want to search for your building in the state’s URM database you can do so here.

To fully understand the retrofit history in the buildings where you live, work, and play, your best bet is to ask property owners yourself. Ask them if any seismic improvements have been made, when they were made, and what those improvements were.

There are different levels of retrofit work, and some are more comprehensive than others.

Experts warn the clock is ticking ahead of the next major earthquake, and Washington needs to prepare before the next one hits.

“Earthquakes strike without warning,” Tobin said.

“I just hope that we’re prepared enough and I don’t know if we are,” Moore said.

You should develop your own earthquake plan too. There are numerous resources available to help. You can explore Washington’s State Department of Health guide here.

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