Earthquakes are a truly unpredictable force of nature These devastating natural disasters can cause intense ground shaking collapse tall multistory buildings and crack open pavement Earthquakes are often responsible for numerous deaths and injuries Scientists can guess the likelihood of an earthquake occurring in a certain area within a specific time frame However these predictions or guesses are not always accurate or free from mistakes This makes earthquakes unpredictable and therefore incredibly dangerous happens examine some of the most destructive earthquakes throughout history and discuss how we can prepare for the earthquakes of the future In this book we’ll look at how and why an earthquake ALARMlNG QUAKES 4
5 ON MAY 12 2008 A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE HIT THE SICHUAN PROVINCE IN CHINA THE SICHUAN EARTHQUAKE OF 2008 LED TO NEARLY 90,000 DEATHS AS WELL AS NEARLY 375,000 INJURIES THE QUAKE DESTROYED AROUND 80 PERCENT OF BUILDINGS IN THE AREA LEAVING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HOMELESS
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground due to the sudden movement of rocks beneath Earth’s surface Earth’s outer layer is called the crust This rock shell ranges from about 3 to 44 miles 5 to 70 km thick The crust is the top part of a larger layer called the lithosphere This layer is made of numerous large sections called plates Earth’s plates fit together like puzzle pieces UNEARTHlNG EARTHQUAKES A QUAKE CAN LAST FOR A FEW SECONDS OR IT CAN LAST FOR SEVERAL MINUTES IT MIGHT BE A LIGHT RUMBLE THAT YOU BARELY NOTICE OR FURNITURE CAN MOVE AND OBJECTS CAN FALL OFF WALLS AND SHELVES IN MORE SERIOUS QUAKES THE GROUND CAN CRACK OPEN AND BUILDINGS CAN TOPPLE 6
7 EARTH IS MADE OF FOUR MAJOR LAYERS THE CRUST THE MANTLE THE OUTER CORE AND THE INNER CORE PLATE ONE OF THE LARGE PIECES OF ROCK THAT MAKE UP EARTH’S OUTER LAYER LOOK INSIDE THE EARTH CRUST MANTLE OUTER CORE INNER CORE
