earthquake and tsunami

• Disaster Preparedness During Disasters such as Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Volcanic Eruptions
• Earthquake


  Shaking of the earth's surface caused by a sudden release of energy within the earth's crust, generating seismic waves
• Earthquake


  • Weak to violent shaking of the ground produced by the sudden movement of rock materials below the earth's surface
  • Plates are in constant motion, plate movements may result in earthquakes
  • Earthquakes may happen anytime, either on land or underwater
  • Earthquakes under the sea can cause a tsunami
  • Earthquakes can be felt when volcanoes erupt
  • Plates move at a rate of 1.5 inches per year
• Hypocenter


  Point inside the earth where the earthquake started
• Epicenter


  Point on the surface of the earth directly above the focus
• Pacific Ring of Fire


  • Path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes
  • Most of Earth's volcanoes and earthquakes take place along the Pacific Ring of Fire
  • There are 15 countries in the ring of fire
• Fault


  Fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock, allowing the blocks to move relative to each other
• Faults may range in length from a few millimeters to thousands of kilometers, producing repeated displacements over geologic time
• During an earthquake, the rock on one side of the fault suddenly slips with respect to the other
• The fault surface can be horizontal or vertical or some arbitrary angle in between
• The seismicity in Abra and its vicinity can be attributed to the presence of several active faults such as the Abra River Fault, West Ilocos Fault System, Bangui Fault, Naglibacan Fault, and Manmanoc Fault, as well as the offshore presence of the Manila trench located west of the province
• Magnitude


  Proportional to the energy released by an earthquake at the focus, calculated from earthquakes recorded by a seismograph, represented by Arabic Numbers
• Intensity


  Strength of an earthquake as perceived and felt by people in a certain locality, a numerical rating based on the relative effects to people, objects, environment, and structures, represented by Roman Numerals
• Intensity is generally higher near the epicenter
• Things you need to do BEFORE an earthquake

  1. Have an emergency evacuation plan

  2. Prepare your homes by strapping or bolting heavy furniture/cabinets, checking the stability of hanging objects, storing breakable items/harmful chemicals/flammable materials properly, and turning off the gas tank when not in use

  3. Familiarize yourself with earthquake hazards in your area

  4. Check the nearest route going to identified evacuation area

  5. Prepare an emergency supply kit

  6. Learn to use the first aid kit, fire extinguishers, and alarms, switching off waterlines, gas tanks, and circuit breaker

  7. Participate during drills and regularly practice the evacuation procedure
• Things you need to do DURING an earthquake

  1. Stay calm

  2. If inside a building or home, stay there and do the duck, cover, and hold

  3. If outside, move to an open area

  4. If in a moving vehicle, stop and get out, do not attempt to cross bridges which may have been damaged
• Things you need to do AFTER an earthquake

  1. Be prepared for aftershocks, take the fastest and safest way out of a building

  2. Do not use elevators, use telephones unless necessary, enter damaged buildings, or panic

  3. Check yourself and others for injuries, water and electrical lines for damages, for spills of chemical, toxic, and flammable materials, and control fire which may spread

  4. Be updated through a battery-operated radio

  5. If signal is not down, message loved ones and state where you are
• Volcano


  Massive openings or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth's surface
• Magma Reservoir


  Large pool of molten rock found underneath the Earth's crust, remaining under extreme pressure and causing the surrounding rock to crack and fracture, creating an outflow of the magma
• Lava


  Molten rock or magma that erupts from the volcano
• Primary Vent


  Primary opening in the Earth's surface through which magma and volcanic gases escape into the atmosphere, can be of different shapes
• Throat


  Uppermost portion of the primary vent, the entrance to the volcano from where lava and volcanic ash are ejected
• Conduit


  Underground passage through which magma and volcanic gases travel upwards towards the vent
• Crater


  Mouth of the volcano
• Summit


  Apex or the topmost part of the volcano
• Secondary Vents


  Multiple smaller outlets through which magma escapes on large volcanoes
• Dike


  Magma reaching the surface that is interrupted by accumulated ash and solidified lava
• Sill


  Magma that hardens and forms a flat piece of rock
• Secondary Cone


  Also known as a parasitic cone, forms around the secondary vent that reaches large volcanoes' surface
• Lava Flow


  Magma mass that pours onto the Earth's surface during an eruption involving moving lava and its hard deposits
• Ash Flow


  Made of small pieces of pulverized rock, minerals, and volcanic glass formed during a volcanic eruption, fragments measuring less than 2 mm in diameter
• Things We Need To Do BEFORE A Volcanic Eruption

  1. Listen to the radio for updates from authority when there is an impending eruption that may cause ashfall

  2. Prepare emergency supply kit containing dust mask

  3. Prepare cleaning supplies such as broom, vacuum cleaner with space bags and filters, and a shovel

  4. Know the location of the evacuation area
• Things We Need To Do DURING A Volcanic Eruption

  1. Stay calm, stay indoors, cover nose and mouth with damp, clean cloth or dust mask

  2. Close all windows of your house and your car

  3. Place damp towels or cloth at door openings and other open sources

  4. Wash all fruit and vegetables before eating

  5. Cover water containers and food to avoid contamination from ash

  6. Listen to the radio for updates/developments

  7. Keep pets in their shelter or inside the house

  8. If driving, pull to the side of the road and stop if there is heavy ashfall

  9. If outside, look for a shelter and wear glasses to protect eyes, avoid using contact lenses
• Things We Need To Do AFTER A Volcanic Eruption

  1. Let friends and family know you're safe

  2. Return only when authorities say it is safe to do so

  3. Continue listening to local news or through radio for updated information and instructions

  4. Scrape off the ash that has accumulated on the rooftops to prevent collapse

  5. Remove ash from windows and doors of the house and car

  6. Collect all the ashes and put them in an area far from water drainage

  7. Boil water before drinking

  8. Use powder detergent in washing clothes covered in ash

  9. Use a vacuum cleaner or shake the furniture to loosen and clean the ash, cover nose and mouth with dust mask while cleaning
• Tsunami


  Large wave caused by movements in Earth's outer layer or crust, which move ocean water, generated when an earthquake happens underwater whose heights could be greater than 5 meters
• Tsunamis can be generated by landslides, volcanic eruptions, or even meteorite impacts in the ocean, but they are most often caused by an earthquake where there's a sudden displacement of the ocean floor
• Storm Surge


  Water pushed inland by very strong winds, usually during very strong typhoons
• Tsunami


  Sea wave of local or distant origin that results from large-scale seafloor displacements associated with strong earthquakes
• As a tsunami approaches shorelines, water may recede from the coast, exposing the ocean floor, reefs and fish, and abnormal ocean activity, a wall of water, and an approaching tsunami create a loud "roaring" sound similar to that of a train or jet aircraft
• Tsunami Safety and Preparedness Measures BEFORE

  1. Plan your escape and evacuation routes, pick areas 100 feet (30 meters) above sea level or go as far as 2 miles (3 kilometers) inland

  2. Prepare your emergency supply kit

  3. Practice evacuating

  4. Know the difference between a tsunami warning and a tsunami watch