Las Vegas NowLas Vegas Earthquake Map Shows Greatest Risk
Eyewitness News obtained a copy of a new map showing what areas of the Las Vegas valley are at greatest risk of damage if an earthquake were to hit Southern Nevada.
Researchers at the Geophysics Center at UNLV spent the past four years working on the map to help county planners with building codes.
UNLV professor Barbara Luke and her team measured the shear velocities to figure out that the areas west and north of the Las Vegas Strip will shake the least. The central and southern part of Las Vegas Boulevard, as well as areas in Henderson, will shake the most during an earthquake.
Check out more of the scientist's findings
Several factors played into research including locating the four major faults in the Las Vegas valley, and what type of rock they were near. Most of the harder rock in the valley is at the higher elevation levels.
"We have more fine grain sediments in the topically lowest parts of the valley so those sediments have the lowest shear wave velocity. Those are therefore going to be expected to have the strongest ground shaking," Luke said.
See a 3D map of the earthquake zone
The map will help local planners design safer buildings and bridges. It also ensures the highest level of stability for structures that are built in areas where there could more shaking.
Researchers are now working to put a value on the damage in each area depending on the magnitude of an earthquake.
