An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the

shaking of the surface of the Earth, resulting from the sudden

release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic
waves. Earthquakes can range in size from those that are so weak
that they cannot be felt to those violent enough to toss people
around and destroy whole cities. The seismicity, or seismic
activity, of an area is the frequency, type and size of earthquakes
experienced over a period of time.
. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located offshore, the
seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami.
Earthquakes can also trigger landslides, and occasionally volcanic
activity.
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What causes earthquakes?
The shaking motion of an earthquake is the result of a sudden
release of energy. Earthquakes are caused when stress, building
up within rocks of the earth's crust, is released in a sudden jolt.
Rocks crack and slip past each other causing the ground to
vibrate.

Cracks along which rocks slip are called faults. The location on a
fault where slip first occurs is called the focus, whereas the
position directly above it on the ground surface is called the
epicentre.

TYPES OF EARTHQUAKES

There are four different types of earthquakes:

• A tectonic earthquake occurs when the earth's crust
breaks due to geological forces on rocks.
• A volcanic earthquake results from tectonic forces which
occur in conjunction with volcanic activity.
• A collapse earthquake occurs in underground caverns and
mines due to the explosion of rock on the surface.
• An explosion earthquake is the result of the detonation of
a nuclear or chemical device.

Factors that Affect the Impact of an

Earthquake
There are seven main factors that affect the impact of an earthquake:

• Distance from the epicentre - the effects of an

earthquake are more severe at its centre.
• The higher on the Richter scale, the more
severe the earthquake is.
• Level of development (MEDC or LEDC) - MEDCs
have the resources and technology for monitoring,
prediction and response.
• Population density (rural or urban area). The
more densely populated an area, the more likely
there are to be deaths and casualties.
• Communication - accessibility for rescue
teams.
• Time of day - A severe earthquake at rush
hour in a densely populated urban area could have
devastating effects.