Magnitude 5.0 is 1 in 100. Magnitude 6.0 is more like 1 in 500. You do a cost-benefit analysis for the different return rates. Hospitals should definitely be b

Magnitude 5.0 is 1 in 100. Magnitude 6.0 is more like 1 in 500. You do a cost-benefit analysis for the different return rates. Hospitals should definitely be built to handle a magnitude 5 or more. You're talking about a high probability of loss of life if they can't handle a 1 in 100 year event. Data centers, who cares? It's cost vs expected damage, and unless it's a safety-critical server (emergency services co-ordination?) you're probably just as well off shipping the servers somewhere else and eating the cost of the downtime. As for getting a 12kW generator in a natural disaster, generators are in extremely high demand. You'll have trouble finding one. The other fun thing about generators in a disaster - people usually don't test them, and end up panicing in a dark basement with no idea how to switch them on and hook them up.