(By Shustov (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)
Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be so tremendously destructive, it’s hard to imagine they occur by the thousands every day around the world, usually in the form of small tremors.
Almost 60 percent of the people killed by natural disasters between 2000 and 2009 perished in earthquakes.
Quakes can also occur far from faults zones when plates are stretched or squeezed.
Scientists assign a magnitude rating to earthquakes based on the strength of their seismic waves. A quake measuring 3 to 5 is considered minor or light; 5 to 7 is moderate to strong; 7 to 8 is major; and 8 or more is great.
On average, a magnitude 8 quake strikes somewhere every year and some 10,000 people die in earthquakes annually. Collapsing buildings claim by far the majority of lives, but the destruction is often compounded by mud slides, fires, floods, or tsunamis. Smaller temblors that usually occur in the days following a large earthquake can complicate rescue efforts and cause further death and destruction.
Eight of the world's 10 most populous cities lie on tectonic fault-lines: Japan's capital, Tokyo; Mexico's capital, Mexico City; New York in the US, Shanghai in China, Jakarta in Indonesia, and three cities in India - Mumbai, Kolkata, and the capital, Delhi.
Most earthquakes are over in seconds so knowing what to do instinctively is very important.
WHAT YOU CAN DO BEFORE AN EARTHQUAKE STRIKES
Arrange your home for safety: Store heavy objects on lower shelves and store breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors. Don't hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people frequently sit or sleep.
A supply of food and water is essential for anyone in earthquake country.These provisions should be ready to eat or require minimal or no preparation.
A first-aid kit is very important to have in case anyone suffers an injury.You should also have a backup supply of any prescriptions, as well as a variety of nonprescription drugs, such as pain relievers, antacids and medications for abdominal/intestinal problems.
Your supplies should also include blankets, flashlights (with fresh batteries), tape, a wrench or other tool to turn off the gas, cash, a fire extinguisher and a battery- or hand-operated radio.
Learn where the main turn-offs are for your water, gas and electricity. Know how to turn them off
Documents like passports, identification, family records, bank account information, wills and other essential items should be stored in a safe or somewhere else secure.
WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE STRIKES
If you're outside during an earthquake, it's best not to move too much. You should avoid buildings and objects or structures that could fall.
If you're driving and it's possible to continue moving, drive slowly to a safe place, but don't stop on or under overpasses, bridges or other potentially unstable areas. Turn off the car, use its emergency flasher lights and keep the parking break engaged. Keep an eye out for objects that might fall, like power lines or trees.
If you're in bed, it might be best to stay there and use a pillow to protect your head and neck. Of course, if you haven't secured objects that could fall on your bed, then that's not a safe area.
If you are indoors, stay there. Practice DROP, COVER and HOLD
- DROP down to the floor.
- Take COVER under a sturdy piece of furniture. If that is not possible, seek COVER against an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms. Avoid danger spots near windows, hanging objects, mirrors, or tall furniture.
- HOLD the position until the ground stops shaking and it is safe to move
As with a fire, elevators should be avoided.
If you are COOKING, turn off the stove and take cover.
If you’re in a CROWDED STORE, do not rush for exits. Move away from display shelves containing objects that could fall.
If you’re in a STADIUM or THEATER, stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms. Do not try to leave until the shaking is over. Then leave in a calm, orderly manner.
WHAT YOU CAN DO AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE STRIKES
Keep in mind that aftershocks -- smaller tremors -- can occur for months after the initial earthquake, though the strongest ones will likely occur in the first few hours or days.
Check for injuries, attend to injuries if needed, help ensure the safety of people around you.
Check for damage. If your building is badly damaged you should leave it until it has been inspected by a safety professional.
If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter. Report the leak to the gas company and fire department. Do not use any electrical appliances because a tiny spark could ignite the gas.
If the power is out, unplug major appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation turn off electricity at the main fuse box or breaker. If you will have to step in water to turn off the electricity you should call a professional to turn it off for you.
EARTHQUAKE MYTHS DEBUNKED
Myth 1: "Go for the doorway when an earthquake strikes."
Modern homes are built so that doorways are no safer than any other part of the house. You are much safer under a table.
Myth 2: "Big earthquakes always happen in the early morning."
Earthquakes strike at all times throughout the day. Several recent damaging earthquakes have occurred in the early morning, so people tend to believe all big earthquakes happen then.
Myth 3: "Earthquake faults can open wide enough to swallow people and buildings."
Gaping faults exist only in fiction. During an earthquake, the ground moves across a fault, not away from it. If the fault could open, there would be no friction. If there were no friction, there would be no earthquakes.
Myth 4: "Earthquake can cause volcanic eruptions."
No, there are different earth processes responsible for volcanoes. Earthquakes may occur as a result of the eruption, but are not the cause of volcanic activity.
Myth 5: "We can predict earthquakes."
Earthquake prediction is the holy grail for earthquake scientists, but there currently is no accepted method to accomplish the goal of predicting the time, place and magnitude of an impending quake.
Myth 6: "Animals can predict earthquakes."
Because of their finely tuned senses, animals can often feel the earthquake at its earliest stages before the humans around it can. This feeds the myth that the animal knew the earthquake was coming. But animals also change their behavior for many reasons and cannot be used to predict earthquakes.
Myth 7: "It's Hot and Dry - Earthquake Weather."
Many people believe that earthquakes are more common in certain kinds of weather. In fact, no correlation with weather has been found. Earthquakes begin many kilometers (miles) below the earth's surface and are not affected by surface weather.
Myth 8: "Earthquakes only occur on the West Coast."
Earthquakes can strike any location at any time. But history shows they occur in the same general patterns over time, principally in three large zones of the earth.
The world's greatest earthquake zone, the circum-Pacific seismic belt, is found along the rim of the Pacific Ocean, where about 81 percent of the world's largest earthquakes occur.
The second important belt, the Alpide, extends from Java to Sumatra through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic. This belt accounts for about 17 percent of the world's largest earthquakes.
The third prominent belt follows the submerged mid-Atlantic ridge.
Earthquakes in these prominent seismic zones are taken for granted, but damaging shocks occur occasionally outside these areas.
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