Concern #3: What detrimental effects would a large quake have on the environment?
The most potent issues concerning the natural environment will have to do with the destruction of houses and buildings. Earthquakes will trigger landslides that will destroy homes and roads, washing them over natural habitats and into the water; Fires from broken gas lines and electrical shorts will release toxins into the air; Dams can fail producing flooding, further damage downstream and a loss of hydroelectricity. Also, the Richmond oil refinery sits right at the edge of the bay, and any damage would be devastating to the flora and fauna surrounding the area.
Liquefaction has had the biggest impact in the aftermath of quakes in the Bay Area, as we saw with the collapse of the Marina district in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake. Anywhere there is landfill or sandy soil is susceptible to liquefaction: The shaking loosens soil and allows water to mix it into a quicksand, causing any infrastructure, sewer and pipelines supported by the soil to crumble or rip apart. The recent quake in New Zealand offered a glaring example of how a relatively small quake can cause detrimental damage through liquefaction.
