the Earthquake

the Earthquake

      When a massive earthquake occurs in some area, it kills people and causes many billion worth of damage as buildings and roads are destroyed or severely damaged and highway bridges are brought down. 

      People are shaken awake in beds to the sound of tremors violently rocking their houses. The quake blows open the doors and windows and throws furniture round like toys. The top floors of buildings crash down onto the ground floor and people are trapped for hours with severe injuries under debris.

      The cause of earthquakes is the movement in fault systems. The fault is a crack between giant pieces of the Earth's crust. Unfortunately, this movement isn't slow and continuous, but occurs in bursts, which result in earthquakes. To make matters worse, scientists not only expect more earthquakes in the near future, but also more powerful ones. It's necessary to strengthen the steel frames of the buildings and other structures such as bridges as this will lead to less structural damage during the next quake.

     There are several things we can do to protect ourselves against  earthquakes. First of all, you should check that your home has a strong steel frame, so that it won't collapse during an earthquake. Secondly, make sure that large objects and furniture inside your house, such as bookcases, are secured to walls and floors. Thirdly, if you are indoors during an earthquake, take shelter under a bed or table or stand in the doorway. It is important to stay calm during a quake as panic leads to rash actions.

 During the Earthquake:

• If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, heavy appliances or fireplaces.
• If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover.
• If you are outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you. Move away from buildings, power lines and trees. 
• If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses, or under power lines, trees and large signs. Stay in your car.