California did something really smart after the 89 quake. They retrofitted basically every major building in the state and made laws that new buildings must be earthquake safe. Those laws have probably saved countless lives. Not all, but many.

https://www.conservation.ca.gov/index/Pages/CA-big-quakes.aspx

My husband has lived in California (Earthquakes), Kansas (Tornadoes), and Alabama (Hurricanes), and he said that earthquakes scare him because unlike the others, there in no warning.

What, 1971 Sylmar 63, 1989 Loma Prieta 71, Northridge 57 deaths. So maybe you didn't know any of these people, but I did.

I worked for Safeway in an office in Concord. Many of the corporate workers used the freeway that collapsed did not hear about deaths but injuries