An 8.8 earthquake is nearly 100 times as powerful as the 7.0 quake that hit Haiti.
Most of the devastation in Haiti can be attributed to poor building practices (I've said as much on FR several times). However, there's a point when even the best built structures lose to the forces of nature — 8.8 is close to that point.
I live in southern California.
Yeah. it’s very big quake, where big quakes have happened before.
My point is, this is not the end of days or Mayan doomsday.
All we can do, is build things better.
It will happen again and again and again over and over and over.