The amazing factors of earthquakes are the causes of this natural phenomenon, due to which people, animals and plants are negatively affected. There are quite a lot of them. And everyone should be told in as much detail as possible.
Seismic shock
This is the first thing to be noted with attention when speaking about the damaging factors of earthquakes. Seismic shock refers to the impact caused by underground shocks (explosions) and the vibrations of the Earth. It arises due to the influence of deep tectonic forces. At this moment, the deformation of the layers of the earth's rocks occurs, and then their subsequent compression. As a result, a critical overload occurs, due to which the layers are displaced and torn. This forms a fracture of the earth's crust, which ends with tremors. And they, in turn, have a clear character of seismic impact.
Also to this topic should be attributed the displacement of glaciers and rocks. This is not the main damaging factor of the earthquake, but one of those.
Other primary factors
The above can also include displacement, vibration, warping of soil and soil. The primary damaging factors of earthquakes are warping, cracks, subsidence and compaction. Immediately I recall such a geological phenomenon as a landslide. True, it is not the primary damaging factor of the earthquake. This is a consequence that usually occurs on the shores of seas or rivers, as well as in the mountains. And on the slopes of the valleys. The most dangerous are formed at the bottom of the seas.
And why do they arise? Due to earthquakes. Of course, landslides have a classification. Storm, snow, glacial, volcanic, limnogenic arise for other reasons, which can be understood from the name. But seismogenic landslides are provoked by strong earthquakes. There is a disruption of soil masses from the slopes. The consequences are more than serious. If the collapse is strong, then people, animals, plants and buildings are in danger of being crippled by fragments of various designs, stones, boulders.
Other factors are faults, surge (subsequent tsunamis), collapse of buildings and the release of underground gases.
From an earthquake to a volcanic eruption
And it is quite real. In April this year, an international team of scientists once again confirmed the conclusion that an earthquake could cause (or a factor) a volcanic eruption. Or even not one, but several.
Scientists have long discovered that certain eruptions occurred immediately after the earthquake. However, oddly enough, at a distance from their epicenters. This topic was also interested in Charles Darwin.
And the connection between one and the second phenomenon is explained in different ways. One version is as follows: tremors positively affect the growth of magma bubbles. They increase in volume. And increase the pressure of magma. And it was also found that the spherical foci of magma resonate with seismic waves.
Second wave of consequences
The above is far from all that seismic activity entails. These are only the primary damaging factors of earthquakes, but there are also secondary ones.
These include explosions and fires. Ignition occurs in settlements due to the leakage of natural gas or other combustible substances, as well as due to the breakdown of electrical wires. It is worth recalling the earthquake that occurred in 1995 in Kobe (Japan). One of the worst natural disasters in this country is 7.3 on the Richter scale. The reason was just a tectonic fault. Due to fires resulting from the disaster, about 5,000 people died.
The secondary damaging factors of earthquakes are accidents, floods, cliffs of sewer networks, as well as mudflows and rockfalls. All of the above can take the lives of hundreds of people.
Avalanches
This is another consequence that needs to be addressed when talking about earthquakes and their damaging factors. Presentation of the phenomenon will be simple. An avalanche is a huge mass of snow falling from the slopes of the mountains. The fact that it can be caused by seismic activity and tremors is not surprising. An avalanche is a real disaster that can sweep a person off a slope. So many climbers and snowboarders perished. People just fall from great heights and crash. But there are other reasons.
Snow only outwardly seems beautiful and light. In fact, the mass of avalanches reaches several hundred tons! As a result, bone fractures and asphyxiation (suffocation). In addition, it is almost impossible to call for help. Snow has poor sound conductivity. It is soft and drowns out even the loudest cries for help.
Man is a provoking factor
And everyone knows this well. The damaging factors of earthquakes were previously listed. Primary and secondary consequences for humans can be extremely serious. But often people themselves are to blame for their occurrence.
Some of their actions have a direct impact on natural disasters. This includes deforestation, deep underground mining, the release of hazardous waste into the atmosphere, and even nuclear testing. A mistake made during the design, also subsequently embodied in life, can become fatal.
The cause of an unnatural earthquake can be the injection of water or oil deep into the earth, which is carried out for environmental or industrial purposes. Fluid affects the increase in underground pressure. And it, in turn, weakens the strata. The result is an earthquake. And their damaging factors, in short, are already reflected in people's health. Therefore, a responsible approach is so important. These are not just words. After all, a person himself can suffer from his own actions.
Cosmic background
Well, the damaging factors of earthquakes - primary and secondary - were listed above. But there is another interesting topic that directly relates to this natural phenomenon. And these are the factors that arise not after, but before the disaster.
Not so long ago, Japanese geophysicists managed to find out something interesting. That earthquakes are related to the lunar cycle. In principle, this is not surprising. After all, the same ebbs and flows are associated with the lunar cycle.
What have scientists come to? Moreover, it turns out that the most powerful earthquakes occurred in those periods when a full moon or a new moon reigned.
The explanation is not very simple, but understandable. In ordinary language, the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are constantly moving. They are either approaching or moving away from each other. This provokes the notorious tidal forces. Due to the different effects of attraction, the ebbs and flows in reservoirs begin. In particular, in the oceans. In parallel, the land surface deforms. The changes are minor - only a few centimeters. But it is these deformations that are the factor that provokes seismic activity. When it occurs, local parts of the Earth’s surface dramatically drop the stress that has accumulated over the years due to all the previously mentioned - lunar cycles, tides, ebbs and other factors.
Magnitude
Talking about what are the damaging factors of the earthquake, it is necessary to note the Richter scale. It determines the value that characterizes the energy released during seismic activity.
The minimum is zero points. Any activity is recorded only by devices. The unit indicates an earthquake that people do not feel. A deuce is something that can be felt by the residents of the upper floors. Activity ranging from 2.5 to 3 points is felt throughout the building. Swinging objects capable of this — chandeliers, “dream catchers”, swings, etc., are noticed.
At 3.5 points, the glass rings and doors with windows open. Noticeable ripples in the ponds? So, the force is fixed from 4 to 4.5 on the Richter scale. At five points, people lose their balance, the plaster cracks, and the glass breaks. If it’s hard to stand on your feet, and the old buildings that are kept “in prayer” are crumbling - activity has increased to the “6” mark on the scale. At 6.5, cracks appear on the ground.
The destruction of communications and buildings is determined by 7 points. At 7.5, the notorious landslides still appear. If the rails are bent, and the pipelines stop functioning - already 8 points. At 8.6, the energy generated by an earthquake exceeds a million (!) Times that possessed by an atomic bomb. 9 points is the end. Buildings, as well as everything that exists in the district, are being destroyed.
Seaquake
This is an important topic number 2. Earthquakes and their damaging factors are really scary. But if the fluctuations affect the reservoirs - a real disaster is coming.
A seismic shock in all cases is accompanied by tidal waves. This is at least. And often this phenomenon is a consequence of an earthquake that had an epicenter on land near the sea or at its bottom.
The cause may also be a grand landslide of the coastal layer. Or, best of all, the eruption of an underwater volcano. The consequences of any of these options are devastating. It is worth recalling the year 1755 - a catastrophe that happened near Lisbon. These were seismic shocks that provoked a seismic shock, dozens of fires and a powerful 17-meter tsunami. The catastrophe happened at 9:20, November 1. In six minutes, 80,000 (!) People died. If you believe geologists, then magnitude then approached 8.7 points. What is hard not to believe - because 1/3 of the city was then hopelessly destroyed.
How to predict the phenomenon?
Each person, having studied the damaging factors of earthquakes, wonders - is it possible to somehow avoid all of the above? Very unlikely. It is impossible to prevent any natural phenomenon by human forces. But to recognize his approach is quite.
You should be wary if in the area in which the air was previously clean, a smell of gas appeared. Do birds and animals behave uneasily? This may also be familiar. Cats usually leave their usual place of residence, carrying kittens. Birds 10-15 minutes before the incident begin to scream unusually and jump around the cage. And the animals that live in the barn, panic. The fact is that earthquakes are accompanied by anomalies in electromagnetic fields. Animals acutely feel and react.
Deformation of the road or subgrade should alert, preliminary shocks - too. Another wake-up call is spontaneous ignition of fluorescent lamps. Of course, if one thing happens, there is no need to panic. But here the totality of all these factors should alert.
Disaster is coming - what to do?
The damaging factors of earthquakes were considered. Rules of conduct is another topic worth noting. God grant, of course, that this catastrophe never affects people. But forewarned means armed.
Rule number 1 - you must remain conscious. You need to act confidently and quickly, but for this you need self-control. Rule number 2 - you must immediately leave the building. Because the safest place during seismic activity is the area with the minimum number of buildings.
Rule number 3 - you must leave the building after the first push. Because otherwise you can lose balance. Rule number 4 - no waste of time. Every second counts. It is only necessary to take money, documents and essential things with you - something without which a person really cannot exist. Weak, weak people, as well as animals, must be helped to leave the building.
Rule number 5 - no elevators, crowds on the landing and jumps from the windows. And finally, the last. Leaving the apartment / office / house / workplace, you must turn off the gas, water and electricity.
If there is no way out?
It happens that you can’t leave the building. Too late, the passage is littered, the doors are jammed - anything can happen. But even in this case, which seems hopeless, one should not lose hope and fighting spirit.
The safest place in the room is the corners of the main walls or openings in them. As well as the space under the supporting structures. A person caught in such a “trap” must squat down, tilt his body forward, and then cover his face and head with his hands. You can stand and turn to face the load-bearing wall. Still allowed the position of "lying" along it.
The chance of escaping is higher if the room has a backup light source, a supply of food and water, a first-aid kit and an autonomous radio receiver.
But the most important thing is hope and faith in salvation. A miracle may not happen, but the fact that it is easier for a person who does not lose courage to navigate in a particular situation is a fact.