HOW EARTHQUAKE HAPPEN

An earthquake is the vibration, sometimes violent, oI the Earth's surIace that Iollows a release
oI energy in the Earth's crust. This energy can be generated by a sudden dislocation oI segments oI the
crust, by a volcanic eruption, or event by manmade explosions. Earthquakes are caused by Iaulting, a
sudden lateral or vertical movement oI rock along a rupture (break) surIace. The pri mary cause
oI eart hquakes is t he movement oI masses oI eart h along Iault li nes.Fault lines can
occur anywhere. Nevertheless, they are normally created Irom pressure generated bythe
movement oI continental plates on the mantle oI the earth
Earthquakes occur sudden by with little or no warning. The basic characteristics oI an earthquake are, It is
not yet possible to predict magnitude, time and place oI occurrence oI an earthquake, The onset is usually
sudden, Earthquake prone areas are generally well identiIied and well known on the basis oI geological
Ieatures and past occurrences oI earthquakes, Major eIIects arise mainly Irom ground movement and
Iracture or slippage oI rocks underground. The obvious eIIects include damage (usually very severe) to
buildings and inIrastructures along with considerable casualties.
A fault is a Iracture in the Earth's crust along which two blocks oI the crust have slipped with
respect to each other. Faults are divided into three main groups, depending on how they
move. Normal faults occur in response to pulling or tension; the overlying block moves down
the dip oI the Iault plane. Thrust (reverse) faults occur in response to squeezing or
compression; the overlying block moves up the dip oI the Iault plane. Strike-slip (lateral)
faults occur in response to either type oI stress; the blocks move horizontally past one
another. Most Iaulting along spreading zones is normal, along subduction zones is thrust, and
along transIorm Iaults is strike-slip.
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Earthquakes happen when rock underground suddenly breaks along a Iault. This sudden release
oI energy causes the seismic waves. It make the ground shake. When two blocks oI rock or two
plates are rubbing against each other, they stick a little. They don't just slide smoothly. The rocks
are still pushing against each other, but not moving. AIter a while, the rocks break because oI all
the pressure that's built up. When the rocks break, the earthquake occurs.During the earthquake
and aIterward, the plates or blocks oI rock start moving, and they continue to move until they get
stuck again. The spot underground where the rock breaks is called the Iocus oI the earthquake.
The place right above the Iocus is called the epicenter oI the earthquake.
Earthquake is one of the most destroying natural disasters