Earthquake Facts
Earthquakes are common happening these days, and there are some interesting earthquake facts that you should be aware of. An earthquake is a seismic event natural or man made. The generation of seismic waves is due to the sudden release of energy from the earth’s center, moving towards the crust. At ground level the ground then tends to shake and sometimes due to the strength of these actions, the ground is displaced. A seismograph measures an earthquake, a device capable of measuring and telling us of the quake’s intensity.
The rupture of geological faults, gas migration, mining and nuclear testing and other disturbances causes earthquakes. The point of the rupture of the earthquake is called the hypocenter and the ground directly above it is the epicenter.
Minor earthquakes occur daily without is even noticing it. About 90 percent of the earthquakes in the world occur in the circum-pacific seismic belt or the ring of fire. This is because the area is bound by the pacific plate which undergoes frequent shifting.
Humans on the other hand can also cause earthquakes. Such activities are nuclear testing, drilling and building large structures with the use of heavy machineries, which may disturb the seismic activity of the earth. These earthquake facts clearly show how man and technology can be the cause of this disaster.
When earthquakes do occur, man- made or natural, there is a lot of impact, due to the force of the earthquake. Ground shaking and rupture is the most common. Stronger quakes may lead to landslides and avalanches. Fires may break due to the destruction of electrical power or gas pipes. The possibility of soil liquefaction is anticipated and the much dreaded tsunamis can also occur near open water regions. This can then be followed by flood, disease and other natural disasters.
Through the years man has made it a point to understand the things around him. To understand earthquakes better, the number of seismic stations has increased from a hundred to a thousand in the past few decades. In spite of these, earthquakes continue to happen without prediction.
There are procedures to follow in order to achieve maximum safety during an earthquake. The quakes may occur in different intensities. Different precautions apply to different strengths. Man has made it a point to create devices and emergency equipment to protect people from this type of disaster. There are already earthquake proof buildings and infrastructure. There are also, early warning devices and earthquake trackers.
Natural disasters will occur when least expected. Man to the extent of his knowledge and his instinct for survival, has come up with ways to face these disasters and cope with the aftermath. Familiarizing oneself with earthquake facts can help a lot.