Earthquakes Have Come to Attract

Earthquakes have come to attract more and more attention in the recent years as the world was affected by seismic waves like the one in the Indian Ocean in 2004, the one in Haiti in 2010, and the one in Japan in 2011.

Studies and causes for which earthquakes happen

Effects triggered by earthquakes

Measures needed to be taken in the event of an earthquake

Earthquakes as they happen and examples

Studying the ocean floor is one of the most effective methods of understanding earthquakes. Even with the fact that there are several millions of earthquakes every year, only about one hundred provoke significant damage. Most earthquakes are caused by the moving of plate margins and by volcanic eruptions. The energy that these two processes release makes the ground shake and practically causes earthquakes.

Earthquakes are hazards because they negatively affect a wide assortment of mediums, ranging from humans to whole ecosystems. Economies normally experience significant damage consequent to an earthquake and financial crises are likely to appear as a consequence of a powerful seismic wave. In addition to the physical damage that an earthquake can cause, it also causes a disruption in trade and produces more long-term damage to the area that it strikes in.

3. In order to effectively reduce damage in case of an earthquake, countries adopt legislations that prohibit people from inhabiting buildings considered unlikely to endure through major seismic waves. In addition to that, many earthquake warning systems have been installed around the world with the purpose of predicting earthquakes and in order to assist people in preparing for such seismic activities. In order to be able to successfully live through an earthquake people need to be familiar with precautions and measures that they need to take when such a phenomenon happens. Heavy objects need to be placed in locations from where they are unlikely to fall, emergency numbers need to be on speed-dial, and building structures need to be carefully inspected by engineers in order for them to determine whether or not they are probable to collapse in the event of a seismic wave. Emergency services also need to be alert in the event of an earthquake, given that deaths often occur consequent to seismic waves as a result of the fact that emergency services are unable to mobilize in time.