My thoughts are that until such accurate predications are routine, which could be never (although I think some percentage of short-term predictions may be possible...but along SCEC-like paths), one needs to look at earthquake-prone areas and construction. I suppose that is what I do...I look at earthquake-prone areas and provide information on fault geometry and slip. Then, you need to look at construction. One could paraphrase the gun expression (which I don't agree with)...it is not earthquakes which kill 10s of thousands of people...it is buildings..
I think it will be interesting when they look at the engineering failures vs the strong ground motions.....this type of quake can have accelerations over 1 g...which means that objects can be thrown in the air.....but, I think we will find that buildings like the tall one that collapsed in the capital(?) of Pakistan did so at far less accelerations....by the way...that collapse would be worth comparing to what could happen in L.A.....was it on a sedimentary basin with amplification of the frequencies that such buildings are sensitive to....was the earthquake on the N-dipping nodal plane so that areas to the south should have had smaller motions....which way did the rupture propagate...
Chris