Earthquakes

Question 1

What is a hazard?

Answer 1

A hazard is something which endangers life, property or the environment.

Question 2

What are the primary effects of Earthquakes?

Answer 2

the destruction of buildings
People may die
Roads may be blocked
gas and water pipes could be broken
electricity could be cut off.

Question 3

What are the secondary effects of an Earthquake?

Answer 3

The cost of rebuilding may be high.
Trade will decrease, especially if the
infrastructure
(roads, airports etc) have been damaged.
Spread of diseases may rise. If dead bodies are left in the open for a long period of time they can cause a risk of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B.
Poor sanitation may occur if water pipes were broken during the earthquake.

Question 4

What is an earthquake?

Answer 4

An earthquake is a sudden, violent shaking of the ground. An earthquake occurs when two
tectonic plates
push together. The pressure of these colliding plates builds up inside the Earth’s crust. The point in the crust where the pressure is released is called the focus. The point on the Earth’s surface above the focus is called the epicentre. When the pressure is too much it is suddenly released and waves of energy, called
seismic waves
, occur. These seismic waves travel through the earth causing it to shake.