We cannot stop earthquakes, but we can do things to make sure they do not destroy the whole cities. First, it is not a good idea to build houses along the lines where two of the earth’s plates join together. Second, if you think there may be an earthquake, it is better to build houses on rock not on sand. Third, you must make the houses as strong as possible. Weak building will fall down in an earthquake, but strong ones may stay up.
Scientists are afraid that one day an even bigger earthquake will hit the area around San Francisco. They call it “The Big One”. However, people today are still building more houses. The population in and around San Francisco is now the times more than that was in 1906.This means that if there is another big earthquake, a great many houses and buildings will be destroyed.