Earthquake Essays

Earthquakes Questions And Answers
EARTHQUAKES
Objective: To define and discuss earthquakes and its effects.
Earthquakes are a major catastrophe and can be a big threat to human lives. To understand
earthquakes you must have a clear definition, know its mechanisms, be able to recognize the size and
dynamics and understand its effects:
I. Definition of Earthquake
a. Earthquake
b. Tsunamis
c. Landslides
d. Volcanoes
II. Mechanism
a. Faults
b. Seismic Waves
c. Aftershocks...show more content...
The slipping fault then creates seismic waves in the surrounding rock. Seismic waves create the
sound waves in the air. It also carries energy away from the fault, first to nearby rock. In hours to
follow or even days many small earthquakes occur. These are referred to as aftershocks. Aftershocks
are a result of rocks near the fault adjusting to accommodate the new stress levels.
In order to understand the size of an earthquake certain items must be taken into consideration.
Strength, classification of seismic waves, logarithm and intensity are some of the main areas to
focus on. The strength depends upon the area of the fault length times width on which the slip
occurs, the amount of the slip and the inherent stiffness of the nearby rock. An earthquake occurring
a 100–km (62–mi) fault is about one billion times stronger than a quake on a 100–m (328–ft) fault.
Seismic waves are classified in two areas P–waves, which are your compressional waves, and
S–waves, which are shear waves. These waves are used in detection and location of earthquakes.
Several thousand seismometers are in continuous operation worldwide. These stations record ground
motions, detect waves even at great distances from the fault as well as measure arrival time of P and
S waves. Logarithm of moment
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Earthquake Preparedness Essay
| Earthquake Preparedness| Public Administration| | Lorena Hedges| 9/18/2012|
I will be discussing the needs of a budget and what supplies will be in the budget plan. Then you
will read some about the shelter provided, population of the community, and damages caused by
earthquakes. There will be information about the policy and procedures to follow for an earthquake
and what challenges we have to face. The conclusion will be completed in the next phase.|
Earthquake Preparedness
Budget
There are three major consequences of an earthquake: injury to employees, customers and visitors;
damage to property, the infrastructure of the area, and lifelines; and disruption of business
operations (Crook, 1999). This is...show more content...
Damages Caused by Earthquakes
Past Records of Earthquake Damages There are many different types of damages that can be
caused by earthquakes. People lose their homes, businesses are destroyed, and much more.
Statistics shows the economic damage caused by earthquakes between 1900's and present here in
the United States are 41.04 billions of dollars (Economic Damage Caused By Earthquakes By
County Up To 2012, 2012). Between the years 2006 to 2012 there was 7,340 earthquakes with a
magnitude of 4.0 to 4.9 (Earthquakes Worldwide By Richter Scale Gradation Up To 2012, 2012).
Many lives are taken from the effects of an earthquake.
Other Department Involvement Other organizations pull together and help with the disasters across
the world. Here is a list of a few organizations and the services they offer: American Red Cross|
Fixed/mobile feeding stations, shelter, cleaning supplies, comfort kits, first aid, blood, food,
clothing, emergency transportation and much more.| Friends Disaster Service| Provides clean–up
and rebuilding assistance to the elderly, disabled, low income, or uninsured survivors of disasters.|
Salvation Army| Mass and mobile feeding, temporary shelter, medical assistance, and distribution of
donated goods such as food, clothes, and household items.| Volunteers of America| Making vehicles
available for transporting victims and supplies to designate

Earthquakes Essay examples
What is an Earthquake?
An Earthquake is the shaking of the earth's surface caused by rapid movement of the earth's rocky
outer layer. The sudden shaking of the ground that occurs when masses of rock change position
below the Earth's surface is called an earthquake. The shifting masses send out shock waves that may
be powerful enough to alter the surface of the Earth, thrusting up cliffs and opening great cracks in
the ground.
Earthquakes, called temblors by scientists, occur almost continuously. Fortunately, most of them can
be detected only by sensitive instruments called seismographs. Others are felt as small tremors. Some
of the rest, however, cause major catastrophes. They...show more content...
Although it is certain that violent Earth tremors in themselves are destructive, there are often other
kinds of Earth movements that are triggered by earthquake shock waves. Thus, the violent shaking
that accompanies many earthquakes often causes rockslides, snow avalanches, and landslides. In
some areas these events are frequently more devastating than the Earth tremor itself.
Floods and fires are also caused by earthquakes. Floods arise from tsunamis along coast lines, from
large–scale seiches in enclosed bodies of water such as lakes and canals, and from the failure of
dams. Fire produced the greatest property loss following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, when
521 blocks in the city center burned uncontrollably for three days. Fire also followed the 1923 Tokyo
earthquake, causing much damage and hardship for the citizens.
Causes
Most of the worst earthquakes are associated with changes in the shape of the Earth's outermost
shell, particularly the crust. These so called tectonic earthquakes are generated by the rapid release
of strain energy that is stored within the rocks of the crust, which on continents is about 22 miles
thick. A small proportion of earthquakes are associated with human activity. Dynamite or atomic
explosions, for example, can sometimes cause mild quakes. The injection of liquid wastes deep into
the Earth and the pressures

Essay On Earthquakes
Earthquakes: A Natural Hazard
Introduction to Earthquakes
An earthquake is a natural hazard that causes death and destruction. Earthquakes mainly occur on
the boundary of two tectonic plates, known as fault lines, as the plates move against each other and
get stuck which creates a strain and results in rocks breaking. This releases energy into the
lithosphere (crust and upper mantle) causing shaking of the earth's surface. The energy released is
called seismic waves and these are measured on a logarithmic scale called the Richter scale.
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Effects of Earthquakes (human or physical)
Ground shaking and unstable buildings are some of the short–term physical effects that are caused
by seismic waves. Fires can be created when a...show more content...
As well as that they should try to find a place that is safe; supplies such as bottled water and canned
food should be easy to reach. Communication systems can be affected so most will set up plans for
contacting friends and family.
Immediately after an earthquake looting often happens as many will be without supplies however
some people react very differently and try to help as many people as they can. Countries around
the world will send money and food; some may even send volunteers to help and administer first
aid. The rubble will be cleared to free the people trapped. Buildings being made safe is another way
they would help but depending on the country's funding it doesn't always happen immediately.
Tourism may decrease as the tourists could be scared of another earthquake or aftershock occurring.
Long–term responses would be things like building restoration because aftershocks are not unusual.
Before or after restoration begins an investigation may be required to figure out why the building
collapsed and if there were any faults in construction. The economy will be negatively affected as
rebuilding is costly and normal work is prevented from happening for quite a while. Whilst there are
investments made for rebuilding and aid is sent in the immediate aftermath, families may struggle
with reduced incomes and replacement of clothing and household items.
Case Studien
Japan
The TЕЌhoku earthquake is a prime example of an earthquake creating a tsunami. With a magnitude

Haiti Earthquake Essay
The January 12, 2010 Haiti Earthquake caused an enormous destruction in the Caribbean nation.
Hospitals and government buildings collapsed along with an unbelievable amount of homes. Tens
of thousands of people were killed, and many more were wounded. The disaster added more misery
to people already struggling to get by with everyday life. Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the
world. The January 12 quake demolished almost every major building in Port–au–Prince, Haiti's
capital. About 5,000 schools in the city were destroyed or damaged. Throughout Haiti, more than
220,000 people were killed, and more than 1 million were left homeless. A few days after the
quake, the number of survivors stood at 121 as hopes of finding more became...show more content...
The most recent cyclones to hit the island before the earthquake were Tropical Storm Fay and
Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike, all in the summer of 2008, causing nearly 800 deaths.[27]
Geology
USGS intensity map
Map showing regional tectonic setting of the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone
Tiny dots of white against the plant–covered landscape (red in this image) are possible landslides, a
common occurrence in mountainous terrain after large earthquakes. The Enriquillo–Plantain Garden
fault zone runs along the two linear valleys at the top of the imageThe magnitude 7.0 Mw
earthquake occurred inland,

Essay on EarthQuakes
Earthquakes
Earthquakes, one of the most destructive natural phenomena, consist of rapid vibrations of rock near
the earth's surface. Because of their unpredictable occurrence and enormous capacity of destruction,
they have brought fear to mankind since ancient times. A single shock usually lasts no more than a
few seconds, but a series of smaller quakes may last for as long as five minutes. The quake felt on the
surface is always the result, not the cause of some underground geologic process, and in many cases
the damage done is immense. The Greek word for shaking, and (when applied to the earth)
earthquake, is seismos. Therefore, the science of earthquakes is called seismology (World Book
Dictionary...show more content...
Fires, landslides, tsunami, falling rock, damaged buildings, and damaged gas lines are just a few
results of secondary shocks. These conditions reek havoc on earthquake corrupted areas, and in
1934, Bihar–Nepal witnessed this first hand. During a landslide, "...an observer reported that
his car sank to the axles". In 1946 off the coast of the Aleutians, the base of a lighthouse
ended up 45 feet below sea level after a tsunami wave over 100 feet crashed on shore (Watkins,
Bottino, Morisawa 51, 53–54).
An earthquake is a natural occurrence; a phenomena just like rain. They have occurred for billions
of years and descriptions as old as recorded history shows their effects on people's lives. Long
before scientific explanations mankind created folklore to explain them. We have come a long way
for spinning yarns around the campfire, but there is still no way to prevent earthquakes. All in all it
doesn't hurt to learn as much as one can, but just like taxes and pokemon earthquakes are something
we have to live with.
EARTHQUAKE REFERENCE FILES Earthquake, shaking of the earth's surface caused by rapid
movement of the earth's rocky outer layer. Earthquakes occur when energy stored within the earth,
usually in the form of strain in rocks, suddenly releases. This energy is transmitted to the surface of
the

Earthquakes Essay
We have to know what earthquakes are in order for us to be prepared against them. Earthquakes are
tremors that move the earth. They can create a lot of damage. Earthquakes have happened around
the world. What causes earthquakes to happen? How do we protect ourselves against the powerful
earthquakes? Earthquakes can cause a lot of damage to homes and places so it is important to know
where it has happened. Also what causes them and how do we protect ourselves against earthquakes.
To begin with earthquakes can happen around the world. A 6.3earthquake destroyed historic
buildings in Italy. On January 12, 2010 a powerful 7.0...show more content...
It's important to know that earthquakes happen around the world so people are prepared for
earthquakes anytime anywhere they are. We also have to know what earthquakes are to be
prepared. Another example is what earthquakes are. Earthquakes are called tremors and can be
tremendously destructive. An earthquakes magnitude is a measured value of its size and is the
same no matter where. There is no such thing as earthquake weather. An earthquake is what
happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another. The surface where they slip
is called the fault or fault plane. "An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip in the fault."said at an
article with earthquake facts at earthquake.usg.com. Its important to know what earthquakes are
caused by so we can understand them better. that way we can protect ourselves against
earthquakes. As well as learning how to protect yourself against earthquakes. An important thing
is to duck and cover. During an earthquake, if you are indoors, it is very important to stay calm and
take cover under a heavy object. If you are outdoors, stay as far away from buildings as possible. Get
away from shelves or other areas where objects may fall if in a crowded store or public area. Do not
run for the door. Crouch and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. " Try to get into
an open area." Getting into an open area not

Earthquakes Essay
Earthquakes
Throughout history, man has made many advancements. These advancements have been made to
make life easier. The one thing man can't do is to control Mother Nature. Mother Nature can cause
many things such as earthquakes.
The causes of earthquakes have been theorized in many ways. According to the book
Predicting Earthquakes by Gregory Vogt, the Greeks, "blamed the earthquakes on Poseidon, god of
the sea"(25). The Hindu believed that "the earth was a platform that rested on the back of eight great
elephants. When one of the elephants grew weary, it lowered and shook its head causing the ground
above to tremble"(Vogt 25). Margaret Poynter writes "many primitive people thought that the earth
rested upon the back of some...show more content...
He made tests, drew a world map, and recreated earthquakes only to find that rocks are being
overstressed at the faults. "A fault is the place where two plates meet and are rubbed against each
other" (Groiler Electronic Publishing,
Inc.). The book, Predicting Earthquakes, the author points out "There are generally three kinds of
faults: normal, reverse, and strike–slip. By careful observation and measurement, geologists, acting
like detectives, can tell how much a fault moved, which part went up, which part went down, and
which way the fault moved" (Vogt 26). "When one of the plates slip under the great amount of stress
at the fault, an earthquake occurs. The shaking we feel are the passing of long waves" (Putnam 443).
"The L–waves (long waves) travel at slower velocities that the primary and secondary waves. These
waves make the largest squiggles on a seismograph but their effect diminishes rapidly with distance.
The L–waves are limited to the crust" (Putnam 443).
One of the two kinds of waves are "Primary waves are a kin to sound waves, and thus produce
alternate compression and rarefaction in the medium through which they travel much like the waves
that spread out through the air in all directions from a tuning fork" (Putnam 444).
The second of the two kinds of waves are "Secondary waves, the particles in the rock through which
the wave is traveling vibrate at right angles, or transversely, to the direction of

On Earthquakes Essay
On Earthquakes
An earthquake is a shaking or trembling of the crust of the earth caused by underground volcanic
action or by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface. The volcanic action and shifting
rocks create strain which continues to build to a sudden release of pressure resulting in a shock
wave. The vibrations produced in the crust can vary from barely noticeable to enormously
destructive. Shock waves can be classified into two broad categories. Waves that send particles
oscillating back and forth in the same direction as the waves are traveling are called primary.
Primary waves, sometimes called compressional waves, travel through the earth beneath the crust.
Secondary...show more content...
The modern seismograph was invented early this century by a Russian seismologist, Prince Boris
Golitzyn. This device made possible the modern era of earthquake research.
Although earthquakes have occurred and affected mankind for as long as humans have been
around, historical records are either lacking or considered unreliable before the middle of the 18th
century. However, some records do exist and date major earthquake events back to 425 BC when
one occurred off the coast of Greece resulting in an island named Euboea. Another occurred in Asia
Minor about AD 17 and another leveled much of the Roman city of Pompeii in AD 63. During the
Middle Ages, severe earthquakes struck England, in 1318; Naples, Italy, in 1456; and Lisbon,
Portugal, in 1531.
Casualties from major earthquakes have resulted in the greatest disasters in history. The worst
occurred in 1556 in the Shannxi (Shensi) Province in China and killed an estimated 800,000
people. During the 18th century, the Japanese city of Edo (site of modern day Tokyo) was struck
and killed 200,000. Earthquakes in Sicily in 1693 and Lisbon in 1755 each killed about 60,000
people. In 1797, approximately 40,000 died when Quito, Ecuador was struck.
Historically, the most powerful earthquakes to strike North America occurred in 1811 and 1812 in
southeastern Missouri. However, the most famous earthquake to strike in North America

Earthquake Reflection
Lecture Reflection 4
All forms of natural disaster bring devastating effects and strike with vicious force, demolishing
everything around them. Additionally, natural disaster is bound to happen, so why not prepare for
the worst? In 2004, the coastal areas of south and southeast Asia were hit with a disastrous tsunami.
Areas of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand did not have the ability to prepare when the
tsunami swept away thousands of civilians and wiped out a portion of their infrastructure. In my
my opinion, if natural disaster strikes an area, I would recommend moving out of that area right
away and start considering a new place to live. Citizens who stay in the same area after natural
disaster, have a high probability of witnessing another. However, many people that have been hit by
natural disaster commonly go back to live at the destroyed site because it's all that they may have
left. This is sad but realistic.
Furthermore, when natural disasters hit vulnerable urban areas, effects are catastrophic. Some
significant factors that play a role in the safety of residents in urban areas; rapid population growth
with inadequate planning, ecological imbalance, population density, compacted infrastructure,
dependency on infrastructure, and inappropriate construction. Although, these places may be miles
away from each other, there were many similarities found in each of these cases. Firstly, all of the
places hit by the tsunami witnessed a loss of coastal areas

Kobe Earthquake
In this response/reflection paper assignment, I discuss a natural disaster, the Kobe Earthquake of
1995. I utilize the following course content, Chapter 4 of Aldrich's book, Building Resilience: Social
Capital in a Past–Disaster Recovery. I also use Willieto's Learning Exercise on Social Capital and
Networks.
COURSE CONTENT The Kobe earthquake left a devastating effect in recent Japanese history, the
earthquake measured a 7.3 on the Richter scale leading to over 1oo fires in Kobe (2012: 76). The
destruction lead to over 110,000 buildings being destroyed, about 6,400 dead, injuring about 15,000
people, leaving about 320,000 people homeless, but also killing mostly women and elderly due to
physical vulnerability and mobility issues (2012: 76)....show more content...
Some wards by 2007 had an increase in population and occupational growth, far greater than the
number of people before the earthquake. Some wards on the other hand still remained at a lower
rate of population and with lower occupational levels than the growing wards. (2012:77). With the
difference of social capital, in order to create a stronger overall community, it is important that each
ward works with another. Breaking the social status of one ward to help those in a lower class,
lower population, and overall lower status can greatly affect the future. While it may not be
traditional to break away from your cultural capital, this could have helped less organized
communities like Mikura. You cannot use bonding to do this, because that is looking at community
members of the same status, intellect, and relationships with each other (Willeto,

Earthquake Essays

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