Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates deep underground or by volcanic eruptions. When the rocks break, seismic waves are released and travel through the earth, causing the ground to shake violently at the surface. This shaking can damage buildings, bridges and other structures, harming people from falling debris. Earthquakes can also trigger other natural disasters like tsunamis and mudslides. While difficult to predict precisely, scientists use seismographs to detect seismic waves and monitor earthquake activity. Some animal behaviors may provide early warnings, like toads abandoning breeding sites before large quakes.

1. Earthquakes
Yu Lynn
Earthquakes are the violent shaking of the ground, which causes much destruction and effect on the community
Source 1. THE DIFFERENT COLORED LINES SHOW THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE HAPPENING OF
Damage caused by Earthquakes
Cause of Earthquakes
Earthquakes usually damage building, bridges, dams and other
Earthquakes usually begin deep in the ground, where the rock first structures, but most damage comes from the shaking of the
breaks, which is called focus, or it can also be called hypcenter, of the ground due to the seismic waves, and this results in falling objects
quake. The distance below the surface of most focuses, is usually less that harms the people.
that 45 miles beneath the surface.
There are 2 major causes of earthquakes. Earthquakes also cause other natural disasters, such as
The eruption of volcanoes can cause earthquakes, as they are sudden Tsunamis. The latest big Tsunami that hit, was a tsunami that hit
and are the seat of inner disturbance, and can effect the places which is Japan, it caused much commotion in the international world and
the second cause of earthquakes. much economic damage as Japan has a high position in the world
The movements of earth plates cause earthquakes, this causes seismic economics.
waves, which move out from the focus of the earthquake and that is what
makes the ground shake. While Earthquakes can cause Tsunamis, mudslides are also
common results of earthquakes.
Damage and loss of life result from falling structures and falling
glass and objects. Earthquakes can trigger mudslides too,
tsunamis are also another result from earthquakes.
Predict Earthquakes
Scientist use a recording instrument called a seismograph, which
uses sensors called seismometers that detect ground motion from
seismic waves.
Earthquakes also can be predicted by the common toad (Bufo
Bufo) can detect seismic activity days in advance of a quake. Its
has been proven, through a 2010 study that was published in the
Journal of Zoology, research show that 96% of the male toads
abandoned their breeding site, five days prior to the earthquake
that struck L’Aquila, ItalY in 2009
Year Location Magnitude
Year Location Magnitude
1958 Juril Islands 8.7
1905 Northern Mongolia 8.5 1960 Southern Chile 9.5
1906 Pacific Ocean Floor 8.4 1963 Kuril Islands 8.6
1917 Western Samoa 8.8 1964 Southern Alaska 9.2
1920 Central China 8.2 1965 Aleutian Islands 8.7
1922 Central Chile 8.5 1966 Western Peru 8.2
1923 Kamchatka Penisula 8.5 1968 Pacific Ocean floor 8.3
1924 Macquarie Island 8.3 1977 Sumbawa Islans 8.2
1933 Pacific Ocean Floor 8.4 1979 Northwestern Ecuador 8.3
1938 Banda Sea Floor 8.5 1989 South Pacific Ocean floor 8.2
1950 Arunachal Pradesh 8.6 1994 Kuril Islands 8.3
1952 Kamchatka Peninsula 9.0 Northwestern Bolivia 8.2
1957 Alutian Islands 9.1 2000 Papua New Guinea 8.0
Northern Mongolia 8.1 2001 Western Peru 8.4
Source: U.S. Geological Survey