Earthquake Hazards and Risk Reduction Methods

• Earthquakes are vibrations of the Earth produced by the rapid release of energy.
• Earthquakes are caused because of slippage along a break in the lithosphere called a fault.
• Earthquake Hazards refer to earthquake agents which have the potential to cause harm to vulnerable targets (humans, animals, environments).
• Primary effects

  Permanent features an earthquake can bring out.
• Examples of Primary effects of earthquakes:

  • Fault scarps
  • surface ruptures
  • offsets of natural or human-constructed objects
• Secondary Effects

  Happen when ground movement results to other types of destruction.
• Examples of secondary effects:

  • Landslides
  • Tsunami
  • Liquefaction
  • Fire
• Ground Rupture

  Deformation on the ground that marks the intersection of the fault with the Earth’s surface.
• Ground shaking

  Disruptive up, down and sideways vibration of the ground during an earthquake.
• Fires

  Ground shaking may break/destroy gas, electrical, and fuel lines that may start a fire.
• Landslides

  Down slope movement of rocks, soil and other debris, usually triggered by strong shaking.
• Tsunamis

  Series of waves created by an earthquake that came from under the sea.
• Liquefaction

  Sediments near bodies of water, start to behave like liquid, something similar to quick sand.