Earthquake Effects

Short periods of intense ground motion * Can damage human structures * “Earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings kill people”
A few factors determine the amount and intensity of damage done * Key factor of intensity of damage is the earthquake’s magnitude * Length is also important (larger earthquakes tend to be longer) * How buildings are structured and constructed * Surface materials on which structures are built * Structures on loose/sedimentary materials usually experience more intense shaking * Structures on solid rock are generally more stable * Some structures can be engineered specifically to mitigate earthquake damage

Other processes related to the shaking
Mountainous areas → landslides (loose rocks/soil break free)
Wet, low-lying areas → liquefaction (wet soils liquify) * Especially common in areas of sandy soils
Ground cracking
Fire * Shaking may break gas lines, which catch fire * Eg. 1906 San Francisco earthquake → wooden buildings survived quake but not fire
Tsunamis * Fault movements displace water above the fault * Waves radiate from epicenter * Not overly noticeable in middle of ocean, but can wreck coastal areas
\