Damages from earthquakes in the US have nearly doubled in the last five years, according to the latest data from the federal government.
A 2023 report from the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that damages from earthquakes total around $14.7 billion per year, up from the inflation-adjusted 2017 estimate of $7.5 million. The report attributes the rise to increased exposure as more people move to earthquake-prone areas and more is invested in infrastructure in those areas.
