...yes poverty is a problem, but the reason only two died in a similar sized quake in Paso Robles, California, is precisely because buildings there are designed and built to withstand earthquakes. Having run two city building departments, one county building department and one state building code office, I can tell you that there are plenty of builders who, without building codes to guide them would build to the lowest common denominator. In fact, about half of the contractors I know - and I know quite a few - haven't a clue as to how build a safe and decent building, or would cut corners to save money if they could get away with it.