Seismic risk or earthquake risk is the potential impact on the built environment and on people's well-being due to future earthquakes.[1] Seismic risk has been defined, for most management purposes, as the potential economic, social and environmental consequences of hazardous events that may occur in a specified period of time.[2][3] A building located in a region of high seismic hazard is at lower risk if it is built to sound seismic engineering principles. On the other hand, a building located in a region with a history of minor seismicity, in a brick building located on fill subject to liquefaction can be as high or higher risk.
A special subset is urban seismic risk which looks at the specific issues of cities. Risk determination and emergency response can also be determined through the use of an earthquake scenario.