Earthquakes and It Effects.

Earthquakes refers to the sudden violent movement of the earths crust. It

often causes great destruction. Most earthquake-related deaths are caused by
the collapse of structures and the construction practices play a tremendous role
in the death toll of an earthquake. In southern Italy in 1909 more than 100,000
people perished in an earthquake that struck the region. Almost half of the
people living in the region of Messina were killed due to the easily collapsible
structures that dominated the villages of the region. A larger earthquake that
struck San Francisco three years earlier had killed fewer people (about 700)
because building construction practices were different type (predominantly
wood). Survival rates in the San Francisco earthquake was about 98%, that in
the Messina earthquake was between 33% and 45%) (Zebrowski, 1997).
Building practices can make all the difference in earthquakes, even a moderate
rupture beneath a city with structures unprepared for shaking can produce tens
of thousands of casualties.
Although probably the most important, direct shaking effects are not the
only hazard associated with earthquakes, other effects such as landslides,
liquefaction, and tsunamis have also played important part in destruction
produced by earthquakes.

Effects of Earthquakes.
Tsunamis: Tsunamis often result from shifting of ocean floor sending
seismic shocks through the water and creating large waves moving at 500700 mp

Flooding : Flooding can come from many sources such as broken water
main pipes, dams that fail due to the earthquake and earthquake-generated
tsunamis. When an earthquake breaks a dam or levee along a river, the
water from the river or the reservoir floods the area, damaging buildings
and maybe sweeping away or drowning people. Small tsunamis, called
seiches occur on lakes shaken by earthquakes and are usually just a few
feet high. These small tsunamis are capable of destroying houses and
uprooting trees. Also, earthquakes can alter the course of a river and can
even cause it to flow in the opposite direction for a short time

Sichuan, China.

Fires : Fires, often associated with broken electrical and gas lines, is one
of the common side effects of earthquakes. Gas is set free as gas lines are
broken and a spark will start bringing "inferno". To complicate things
water lines are broken and so there is no water to extinguish the fire. The
San Francisco earthquake of 1906 caused 90% of damage by fire.

Fire consumes homes in the Marina District after the Loma Prieta earthquake in San
Francisco

Damage to man-made structures: Damage to man-made structures, such as

roads, bridges, dams and buildings.

Injuries and Death : Earthquakes are the main cause of injuries and
death. In Japan,2011 at least 15,550 people killed, 5,344 missing, 5,314
injured, 130,927 displaced and at least 332,395 buildings, 2,126 roads, 56
bridges and 26 railways destroyed or damaged by the earthquake and
tsunami along the entire east coast of Honshu from Chiba to Aomori. The
majority of casualties and damage occurred in Iwate, Miyagi and
Fukushima from a Pacific-wide tsunami with a maximum run up height of
37.88 m at Miyako.

Japanese military personnel carry bodies of victims at a village destroyed by earthquake and
tsunami in Yamadamachi, north-east Japan