Wazzup Pilipinas!
It's a grim reality: tremors of magnitude no less than 2.0 happen each day all over the world. A considerable lot of these are not by any means recognizable. The core of our planet is indeed hyper-active.
Big scale quakes of magnitude 7.0 and more happen at least once a month.The number of big-scale earthquakes has been on a steady rise.
How do Earthquakes Occur?
It happens when there is movement in the earth’s crust. When the tectonic plates collide or diverge along a fault line, explosive energy is released causing tremors that reach the earth’s surface.
Can an Earthquake Be Predicted?
At the moment no scientific calculations or machine intelligence can pinpoint the time and date that an earthquake can strike. Scientists can only make theoretical predictions of ‘where’ and ‘how’ by analyzing past data.
What Makes Earthquakes Dangerous?
It is the fact that we are always caught unawares. But again, the damage and injuries from the fall of buildings and collapse of infrastructure add to the danger. Earthquakes cause gas leaks, fires, and landslides. Victims can also catch infectious diseases when sewers burst open and fresh water is contaminated.
Tips to Stay Safe during an Earthquake
Don’t expect an evacuation call before an earthquake strikes. If you live in a region where tremors occur frequently, you should always stay ready.
When the tremor hits, get down fast and get cover. Hold on to something sturdy as you stay under a table or bed. That will help to protect you from falling debris.
Don’t be tempted to run outside– it is much worse out there where buildings may fall on you. Don’t stand in the doorway either. You might get thrown out by the force of the tremor. Also, a preparation measure would be to bolster your doors and secure your beds and tables with fasteners. That is if you live in parts of the world that directly sit on fault lines. These include Tokyo, Los Angeles, Jakarta, and Manila among others.
Significant earthquakes in the last decade
The biggest shocks in the past decade include the 7.9 magnitude quake of Sichuan Province in China, 2008. 87,000 people perished. A 7.5 magnitude shake in 2008 also hit Sumatra in Indonesia. However, the Haiti quake of 2010, with a 7.0 magnitude was more disastrous, taking with it 300,000 lives.
Christchurch in New Zealand saw its share of peril when a magnitude 6.3 hit in 2011. In the same year, North Eastern Japan sustained a hit from 9.0 magnitude earthquake. 2013 was Pakistani where magnitude 7.7 shake claimed 828 lives in Baluchistan province.
700 people lost their life in China 2014 when a 6.2 magnitude struck Yunnan province. In 2015 the same disaster struck in Nepal, affecting 8 million lives. The tremor started an avalanche from Mt Everest that claimed at least a dozen lives.
In 2016, Ecuador got hit with a 7.8 magnitude quake. In the same year, a magnitude 6.3 claimed 300 lives in Rome. In 2017, Central Mexico suffered a magnitude 7.1 quake that claimed 300 lives.
How to get involved to help victims?
Work with UNICEF or Red Cross either as a donor or volunteer. This is an organization that helps in emergency responses. They provide water, food, sanitation and medical aid to victims of catastrophes.
You can also donate blood.
You never know where or when earthquakes happen. Today is them tomorrow if it could be us. Stay safe, and lend a hand when humanity calls upon you.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
