Surveillance video shows New Zealand earthquake damage

The risk of a building collapsing during an earthquake depends not only on the earthquake’s strength but also on how its frequency matches the building’s natural frequency. Every structure has a natural frequency at which it naturally vibrates. If the earthquake’s vibrations align with this frequency, a phenomenon called resonance occurs, where the vibrations are amplified, making the building more likely to collapse. Taller buildings are typically more unstable at lower frequencies, while short