This superb article by Claire Berlinski from last summer on the risks of an earthquake destroying Istanbul is sobering in light of the news of yet another earthquake and tsunami in Japan (thankfully not terribly damaging this time). For anyone who has been to Istanbul, the shoddy construction is legion and painfully apparent, and if you’ve ever rented an apartment there, the newer buildings tout their earthquake-proof status very prominently. Read the article to the end for a list of world cities in which you might want to be particularly careful.

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