EARTHQUAKE

WHY DO EARTHQUAKES OCCUR?

• Due to breaking of rocks along the

fault
• Sudden release of energy that
propagates in all directions
causes the seismic waves that
makes the ground shake.

epicenter
focus
 WHERE DO
EARTHQUAKE
S OCCUR?

1. Along the edge of

the oceanic and
continental plate
2. Along faults
 SEISMIC
WAVES

1. P-WAVES
• called compressional, or push-pull waves
• Propagate parallel to the direction in which
the wave is moving
• Move through solids, liquids
2. S-WAVES
• Called shear waves
• Propagate the movement
perpendicular to the direction in
which the wave is moving
3. SURFACE WAVES
• Complex motion
• Up-and-down and side-to-side
• Slowest
MEASURING EARTHQUAKES

Seismometers
instruments that detect
seismic waves
 Seismographs

Record intensity, height

and amplitude of seismic
waves
TWO WAYS TO MEASURE EARTHQUAKES

1. MAGNITUDE (Richter Scale)

• Measures the energy released by fault movement
• Related to maximum amplitude of the S-wave measured from seismogram

2. INTENSITY (Mercalli Scale)

• Refers to what you feel
• Assigns an intensity or rating to measure an earthquake at a particular position
• From intensity 1 (not felt) to XII (buildings are nearly destroyed)
• Measures the destructive effect
EFFECTS OF
EARTHQUAKE

Scarp formed by the 16 December 1954 Dixie Valley earthquake (magnitude 6.8) in Nevada. 
AVALANCHE & LANDSLIDE
TSUNAMI
 Sta. Maria de Mayan
Church after a pair of
strong earthquakes of
magnitude 5.4 and 5.9
struck within hours of
each other in Itbayat,
Batanes 
EARTHQUAKE
FORECASTING AND
PREDICTION

1. Seismic Hazard Maps

2. Probability analysis based on:
• High density local monitoring in known risk
areas
• geological field work
• historical records.
 EARTHQUAKE
PLAN AND
SAFETY

1. Check hazards at home

2. Identify safe places indoors and outdoors
3. Educate yourself and
family members
4. Have disaster supplies on
hand
5. Develop an emergency communication plan.
 6. Help your
community get
ready