Earthquakes

What is an earthquake?

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.