Earthquakes Over the Past 25 Years, Powerful

Earthquakes

Over the past 25 years, powerful earthquakes have struck different parts of the planet with alarming regularity. In this relatively short time span, there have been more than 30 earthquakes that have resulted in death tolls of more than 1000 people, with several of this disaster measuring over 7.0 on the Richter scale (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). One of the biggest earthquakes in the last 25 years is the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. It killed more than 200,000 people and displaced over a million people (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). The magnitude of this earthquake was 7.0 on the Richter scale. No other earthquake in recent years caused as many casualties as this catastrophe (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010).

The number of other hazards that caused by a quake can lead to higher death tolls. Earthquakes that occur at sea are well-known for causing tsunamis, which can have devastating consequences on land. In 1976, a 7.9 earthquake created a tsunami in the Moro Gulf that struck the west coast of the Philippines. Although the earthquake happened out at sea, it resulted in more than 5,000 deaths and left many residents in the region homeless (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). The earthquake was followed by powerful aftershocks more than 12 hours later which caused more damage and casualties (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). Aftershocks are a side effect of powerful earthquakes and can be as damaging as the initial earthquake. In the 2009 earthquake in Sumatra, rescue efforts were hindered by multiple landslides that occurred as a result of the earthquake. Food and water supplies were depleted and many areas had no electricity for days (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). It is apparent from these records, that although earthquakes are a devastating force of nature, the majority of deaths are caused as result of the other hazards created as a result of the earthquake. In the Sichuan Province disaster of 2009, where more than 80,000 people died, it is thought that one of the biggest causes of death were buildings collapsing on people (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010; Nelson, 2011).

The biggest earthquakes of the past 25 years show similarities in the types of hazards that occur as a result of such a natural disaster. Building collapses, landslides and tsunamis are just a few of the major hazards that can raze an area, displacing whole cities in one fell swoop. One of the most common hazards of recent years has been ruptures in the grounds surface. These are a result of the surface faults which can cause deep fissures and tears in the ground. Surface faults have occurred in many of the most recent earthquakes including the 1990 earthquake that struck the Philippine islands of Luzon, the 1992 earthquake in the Flores region of Indonesia and the 1999 disaster in Taiwan (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). This last disaster resulted in more than 2000 deaths and the surface faults created two large lakes through ground movement (U.S. Geological Survey, 2010). Surface faults cause long lasting damage to an area, rending the earth and creating new geological features that can affect the entire region. They can also cause many of the other hazards to occur such as building collapses and landslides. Because of this, surface faults are perhaps one of the most devastating hazards that occur in a natural disaster such as an earthquake.