Explained in plain English

How do buildings cope?

Buildings in earthquake zones are designed to sway and absorb energy, rather than resist it rigidly. This 'ductility' allows them to deform without collapsing, much like a flexible tree bending in the wind. Modern building codes, often based on lessons from past quakes like Colombia's, mandate features such as reinforced concrete and base isolation to help structures withstand powerful tremors.

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