Groundshaking

• Hazards associated with earthquakes:

  • Ground shaking
  • Soil liquefaction
  • Landslides
  • Tsunamis
• Ground shaking affects natural and human systems by:

  • Destroying ecosystems (natural systems)
  • Destroying properties and infrastructure (human systems)
  • Disrupting services
  • Causing injuries and fatalities (human systems)
• Ground shaking ruptures oil and chemical factories, polluting land and water
• Ground shaking fractures and uproots trees, causing widespread tree injury and death and damaging wildlife habitats
• Ground shaking weakens buildings, bridges, roads, and railways, causing them to collapse, making it difficult to rescue people or supply emergency aid
• Ground shaking snaps water and gas pipes, resulting in water shortages and disruptions to gas supply
• Electricity and communication cables break during ground shaking, affecting important communication services such as tsunami warnings and television broadcasts
• People may get trapped under collapsed buildings and infrastructure during ground shaking, resulting in loss of lives and injuries
• Example of earthquake impacts:

  • 2010 Haiti earthquake (Mw 7.0):
  • Surrounding areas around factories were polluted
  • Debris polluted rivers
  • More than 250,000 houses collapsed due to violent vibrations
  • About 220,000 people were killed
  • Water pipes ruptured, causing water shortages
  • 2010 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquakes:
  • Many trees were damaged and more than 300 had to be removed, reducing availability of habitats for terrestrial species