This depends greatly on building codes, structure contents, and local geology.
In California and Japan, decades of stringent building codes mean that most structures are likely to be safe agaist even large quakes, in the sense that occupants should survive, even if the structure itself is not repairable.
Along the central and eastern US, and in large parts of rural China, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, amongst other areas, building codes, geology, and general preparadness and awareness (or lack) can make even comparatively small quakes deadly.
From the Rockies east, the US is underlayed by largely-intact limestone and a thick crust which can propagate seere ground movement hundreds of kilometers, up to 1,000 km or more. By comparison, along th USwest coast, being 100--200 km from an epicentre usually renders even a large quake largely harmless (though it may still be felt). Additionally, construction standards in the central/eastern US and other regions mentioned above tend to result in far more severe structural damage. Rescue, aid, and shelter capabilities may also be limited.
(In California, the principle geological hazard is fill or other soils prone to liquefaction, which can greatly amplify movement locally. Landslides may also be a concern. In mountains, rockslides.)
The guidelines 323 gives are useful for California and Japan. Elsewhere, comparable damage might occur a magnitude below those given.
Here in Ontario we had a small quake caused by a rock slide in Lake Ontario, almost no damage was seen. But my friend in Bowmanville said her grand mother lost tens of thousands of dollars in custom plates that she has displayed on ledges all around her house.
Why? Because we never get earthquakes here, so there were no lifted edges or holders! Then suddenly we get a small quake, and they all came crashing down.
In California and Japan, decades of stringent building codes mean that most structures are likely to be safe agaist even large quakes, in the sense that occupants should survive, even if the structure itself is not repairable.
Along the central and eastern US, and in large parts of rural China, Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, amongst other areas, building codes, geology, and general preparadness and awareness (or lack) can make even comparatively small quakes deadly.
From the Rockies east, the US is underlayed by largely-intact limestone and a thick crust which can propagate seere ground movement hundreds of kilometers, up to 1,000 km or more. By comparison, along th USwest coast, being 100--200 km from an epicentre usually renders even a large quake largely harmless (though it may still be felt). Additionally, construction standards in the central/eastern US and other regions mentioned above tend to result in far more severe structural damage. Rescue, aid, and shelter capabilities may also be limited.
(In California, the principle geological hazard is fill or other soils prone to liquefaction, which can greatly amplify movement locally. Landslides may also be a concern. In mountains, rockslides.)
The guidelines 323 gives are useful for California and Japan. Elsewhere, comparable damage might occur a magnitude below those given.