Unknown Future of Earthquakes

What are the effects of Earthquakes?

Who is affected by Earthquakes?

Earthquakes can effect people, structures, and the most devastating is that is can lead to other disasters. It can lead to tsunamis, landslides and volcanic activity. When an earthquakes is of 8.0 magnitude it is pretty destructive. I personally have never been badly affected by an earthquakes. I have felt shakes for 4.0 - 5.0 earthquakes and the most that did was possibly crack a piece of foundation in my home in the Bay Area. What I experienced is probably the most common effect of an earthquake of ground shaking. Another possible effect is ground rupture. In a lecture from Professor Anderson from UCSD, he states, "Ground rupture... occurs when the earthquake movement along a fault actually breaks the Earth's surface." He states another effect includes landslides, "They can easily destroy buildings in their path, or block roads and railroad lines, or take hilltop homes with them as they tumble" (1). As it seems, earthquakes have effects that lead to one another. An earthquakes lead to many effects and the severity of it depends on magnitude and location.

An earthquake can affect people, animals, ecosystems, structures and so on. For example, let us say that the library at my college collapses after an earthquakes strikes San Luis Obispo. The structures could now have gas leaks, stuff falling everywhere, a potential fire could spark, and so on. If any person were to be in that library they could get injured from heavy bookcases falling over, they could have trouble breathing from: dust, ash, smoke, gas, and they will have fear. When plates shift, land shifts changing an ecosystem, therefore affecting animals.

Liquefaction, Subsidence, & Fires

Tsunamis

There are even more effects that earthquakes can cause. Professor Anderson states, "Liquefaction is when sediment grains are literally made to float in groundwater, which causes the soil to lose all its solidity. Subsidence can then follow as the soil recompacts" (1). Fires are also a very common effect of an earthquakes as they are easily started. He again states, "Ground rupture and liquefaction can easily rupture natural gas mains and water mains, both contributing to the ignition of fires and hindering the efforts to control them" (1). This again proves that one effect just leads to the next.

Tsunamis can be a result of an earthquakes and can devastate many places in a short period of time. Professor Anderson states, "Tsunamis are a series of water waves caused when the seafloor moves vertically in an earthquake (which is why they are uncommon in California earthquakes -- most CA earthquakes are strike-slip, with little or no vertical motion) and which can travel vast distances in a short period of time" (1).

Where Can Earthquakes Happen?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, "An average of 3.5 million people are affected by earthquakes every year" (1)

Unknown Future of Earthquakes

By: Sydney Pandolfo

Earthquakes can happen almost anywhere in the world but the next map shows all major earthquakes that have happened around the world. In the article, "Where Do Earthquakes Happen?" Endsley states, "Most earthquakes occur along the edge of the oceanic and continental plates" (1). He also states, Earthquakes can also occur far from the edges of plates, along faults" (1). This means that the earthquakes will happen around the world but won't randomly happen in locations that are not near plates or faults.

Reflection

Big earthquakes over the magnitude of 8.0 happen near convergent boundaries. For example: Indonesia, Peru, Russia, and Chile are regions that have many magnitude 8.0 or greater earthquakes. Many happen off the west coast of Indonesia by Sumatra and New Guinea of Indonesia. Many earthquakes happen off of the Kuril Islands of Russia. Many of the earthquakes are on the coast of Peru in the middle to lower half of the country. Many of the earthquakes in Chile are central. Convergent Plate Boundaries are found in the regions such as Indonesia, Peru, Russia, and Chile. To be clear, a convergent boundary is where two plates collide which one plate will slide beneath the other one and will create a subduction zone (Wicander, Monroe 1). The green lines of the upcoming map represent the convergent boundaries. The red dots represent the different earthquakes over the magnitude of 8.0.

What could be done to better prepare for earthquakes?

This project was inspired by all the natural disaster that is going on. Earthquakes have so many effects can lead to other disaster. I am most familiar with earthquakes as I have grown up in San Ramon, CA all my life. Earthquakes occur in the Bay Area and I live within walking distance of the San Andreas fault. It is quite scary as the earthquakes is overdue for an eruption. I have to make a choice everyday to not live in fear because I cannot control the uncontrollable. This project was a good reminder to myself to have a plan in place so I can best prepare for an earthquake. The book "The Big Ones" by Dr. Lucy Jones also has made me think about earthquakes more often. It has lead me to be more educated with natural disasters and the unstoppable behind them.

Step 1: To make sure people are aware of the nature of earthquakes. There is no way to predict when our next earthquakes will occur. The San Andreas Fault in the Bay Area is overdue to erupt but we are unaware of when this will be or if this will cause destruction.

Step 2: Create a plan where you reside. Make sure you know where to stand and protect yourself in case of earthquakes. Also make sure you have supplies like food, water, flashlights, ect. prepared.

Work Cited

Anderson, Greg. Effects of Earthquakes. 28 Feb. 1997, https://topex.ucsd.edu/es10/es10.1997/lectures/lecture20/secs.with.pics/node10.html.

Endsley, Kevin. “Where Do Earthquakes Happen?” UPSeis, Michigan Tech, 2007, http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/where.html.

Step 3: Understand that you need to be calm in the case of a natural disaster as much as possible. It will become a global issue and you will receive the support you need. You can only hope that the government will take the right steps in order to recover from natural disaster.

“Earthquakes.” Earthquakes : FAO in Emergencies, http://www.fao.org/emergencies/emergency-types/earthquakes/en/.

Wicander, Reed, and James S. Monroe. GEOL. Brooks/Cole, 2013.