Summary+Page

**﻿Welcome to the Earthquake Wiki Experience**

Here is a small amount of information about earthquakes

**What is an earthquake and how it occurs?**

Earthquakes are caused by the release of built-up stress within rocks along geologic faults or by the movement of magma in volcanic areas. They are usually followed by aftershocks.

An earthquake can also be known as a quake, tremor or temblor. It can be the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's [|crust] that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are measured using observations from [|seismometers].

See the link for a visual

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**How are they measured?**

The magnitude of most earthquakes is measured on the Richter scale, which was invented by Charles F. Richter in 1934. The Richter magnitude is calculated from the amplitude of the largest Seismic wave recorded for the earthquake, no matter what type of wave was the strongest.

The Richter magnitude scale can be used to describe earthquakes so small that they are expressed in negative numbers. The scale also has no upper limit, so it can describe earthquakes of unimaginable and (so far) unexperienced intensity, such as magnitude 10.0 and beyond.

For more information on the Richter scale click here

**Consequences of Earthquakes**

Earthquakes can have many after effects, secondary consequences include tsunami to coastal areas, landslides and floods. Other direct consequences include destruction of buildings and utilities such as power, water and transportation.

Death and major injury can occur at the point of impact, secondary health issues such as disease, death through hunger, suffocation are also major issues.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**Famous and deadly quakes**

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: San Fransisco <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 1906 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 7.9 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: At the time there were only 300 recorded deaths, for fear of property value. Actual death’s are unknown but is estimated to be over 3,000. 300,000 people were left homeless out of a total of 410,000. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: estimated to cost 9.6 billion dollars media type="youtube" key="5a7OizEdAik" height="349" width="425" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: Tokyo, Japan <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 1923 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 8.25 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: 140,000 people died from direct shaking and fires <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: Never recovered until after WWII air raids media type="youtube" key="gBF38N4T3yI" height="349" width="560" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: Chile <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 1960 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 9 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: 620 miles long and about 124 miles wide, was the largest quake in a century with few instruments capable of reading the surface waves. Caused landslides, tsunami’s, floods, and a volcanic eruption. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: 5.8 million dollars. media type="youtube" key="DFLLtVPzwGA" height="349" width="425" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: Anchorage, Alaska <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 1964 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 8.5 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: The seisometer that detect surface waves around the world were knocked off scale for hours, when recording resumed they continued to measuring surface waves for several days. This seafloor motion caused a tsunami that travelled all over the pacific ocean even killing people in California. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: cost unknown, only 50% of people survived who lived in the effected area’s. media type="youtube" key="EoJLfsRvE5c" height="349" width="425" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: Tangshan, China <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 1976 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 7.5 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: 240,000 people died in the coal mining city as a result of the quake. Before the quake fish were jumping out of aquariums, and dragonflies all flew out of the city, which indicates that animals are very sensitive to movement. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: china refused help from the united nations, and sent their own aid to help. The city is now rebuilt and is home to 3 million residents. media type="youtube" key="afB8g22OEqI" height="349" width="425" align="center"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Where: Sumatra, Indonesia <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">When: 2004 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Magnitude: 9 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Impact: largest earthquake for 40 years, death toll estimated to be 150,000. Created a large tsunami that also killed many. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Recovery: estimated to be 16 billion dollars media type="youtube" key="RDOuwMj7Xzo" height="349" width="425" align="center"

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