2.4

• Ground shaking


  • Destroys ecosystems
  • Destroys properties and infrastructure
  • Disrupts services
  • Causes injuries and fatalities
• 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
• Soil liquefaction


  • Trees on liquefied soil sink in and tip over, damaging wildlife habitats, causing forest and biodiversity loss
  • Liquefied soil may enter rivers and smother aquatic plants, causing them to die
  • Sewage pipes may be broken and untreated waste materials may pollute rivers, killing aquatic species
  • Buildings and other infrastructure can sink in and tip over, and the damage makes it difficult to rescue people or supply emergency aid
  • Electricity and communication cables, and water and gas pipes can sink in and snap, disrupting supply of these services
  • Roads and railways above liquefied soil can sink in and get damaged, making it difficult to rescue people or supply emergency aid
  • People can get trapped under collapsed buildings and infrastructure, resulting in injuries and loss of lives
• 2010-2011 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquakes

  • Triggered severe liquefaction, as the city lies on a former swamp area where soils are loose and saturated
  • More than 60,000 residential buildings and infrastructure covering about one-third of the city area were damaged
  • Liquefied soil entered rivers, and untreated sewage from broken pipes polluted rivers, resulting in the reduction of some species such as the caddisflies
• Landslides


  • Fast-moving debris can bury huge areas of forest and wetlands
  • Rivers can be polluted with debris, killing aquatic life
  • Rivers can be blocked, causing floods that can damage nearby ecosystems and properties
  • Debris can bury villages and farms, destroying properties and infrastructure
  • Debris can snap electricity and communication cables, and water and gas pipes, disrupting supply of these services
  • Roads and railways can be blocked by debris, making it difficult to rescue people or supply emergency aid
  • Debris can bury people or hit them, causing injuries and loss of lives
  • Debris can block rivers, resulting in floods, which can drown people
• 2018 Papua New Guinea earthquake (Mw 7.5)

  • Triggered landslides that caused huge amounts of debris to enter the rivers
  • Caused flooding
  • Destroyed forests
  • Polluted waters and killed fish
• 2008 Great Sichuan, China Earthquake (Mw 7.9)


  • Triggered more than 15,000 landslides
  • Destroyed many buildings and infrastructure
  • Caused nearly 20,000 deaths
• Tsunamis occur when


  1. An undersea earthquake causes the seabed to be displaced

  2. A large volume of water is lifted, forming waves of great wavelength and low height of less than 1 metre

  3. The waves travel towards land at high speeds around 800km/h

  4. On approaching the coast, greater friction with the shallower seabed slows the waves down

  5. The waves get closer together and increase in height. Waves can reach up to a height of 15m or more, travel at a speed of 30 - 50km/h and devastate shorelines the waves hit

  6. Before a tsunami occurs, the sea may recede from the shore because the sea water fills in the void caused by displacement of the seabed