Earthquakes - Impacts

Question 1

What are the primary impacts of an earthquake?

Answer 1

• Ground shaking

- Ground rupture: the visible breaking and displacement of the Earth’s surface.

Question 2

What are some secondary effects of an earthquake?

Answer 2

• Soil liquefaction
• Landslides/ avalanches
• Tsunamis
• Fires
• Effects on people and build envrionment.

Question 3

What is soil liquefaction?

Answer 3

When violently shaken, soils with high water content lose their mechanical strength and start to behave like a fluid.

Question 4

How do landslides / avalanches occur from earthquakes?

Answer 4

As a result of the ground shaking, slope failure will often occur.

Question 5

How do tsunamis occur from earthquakes?

Answer 5

They are giant sea waves which are generated by shallow focused underwater earthquakes involving movements of the sea bed, or landslides into the sea.

Question 6

How do fires occur from earthquakes?

Answer 6

Broken gas pipes and collapsed electricity transmission systems may result in fires.

Question 7

What is the effect of earthquakes on people and the build environment?

Answer 7

Collapsing buildings; destruction of road systems and other forms of communication; destruction of service provision such as water, electricity and gas; flooding; disease; food shortages; disruption to the local economy, either subsistence or commercial.