Earthquakes are most dangerous near areas where people live. Deaths and injuries are not caused by movement of the ground, but buildings collapsing and fires.
Earthquake damage can be reduced A powerful
earthquake (magnitude of 8 or higher) can release more energy than 1 million weak earthquakes.
The first scale of earthquake magnitude was developed by Charles Richter and Beno Gutenburg
Earthquake damage can be reduced The Richter scale measures
how fast the ground moves at a seismic station
Earthquake damage can be reduced Most scientists
currently use the moment magnitude scale
Both ricther and moment scale show a top value of 10, but neither has a maximum value.
The moment magnitude scale is more accurate for larger earthquakes
Earthquake damage can be reduced Movement of blocks
of rock along a fault on either side can raise, lower or tilt the ground surface(This can collapse buildings)
Many buildings collapse and in the process gas lines,power lines, and water lines can be damaged
Earthquake damage can be reduced In the San Francisco
earthquake of 1906, 90% of the buildings collapsed
Earthquake damage can be reduced Earthquakes can also cause
landslides to occur A landslide is movement of
rocks and soil down a hill or a mountain
Earthquake damage can be reduced A tsunami can also occur as a
result of an earthquake, volcanic eruption or landslide.
A tsunami is a water wave that can rise more than a 20 story building
Earthquake damage can be reduced A tsunami can be a single
wave or several waves of different heights
In deep water a tsunami can reach speeds of about 430 mph
Earthquake damage can be reduced In 1946 a
earthquake hit Alaska, a tsunami resulted and the highest wave was 55 feet high and it killed 159 people
The Pacific Tsunami Warning center was established in hawaii in 1949
Earthquake damage can be reduced Scientists havent figured out
earthquakes similar to the weather they can only make longterm predictions
Scientists study stress along fault lines
Earthquake damage can be reduced Signs that give scientists clues
are: Tilts or changes in rock Slow movement or stretching
in rock The development of small
cracks in the ground
Earthquake damage can be reduced The best way to
prevent death and injuries is to build structures meant to withstand some earthquakes
Base isolators are built into buildings, they are flexible an absorb the shock
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