Predicting Quake Damage in Minutes

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(graphic courtesy of USGS)

When there’s a major earthquake like the one in Japan we hear a number like it’s a seven or even a nine. That tells us how big the quake was but not much about the damage it caused or the lives lost. Now, scientists have come up with a more sophisticated tool. David Wald of the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden tells Ryan Warner about the PAGER -- Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response -- system.