Effects of Earthquakes and Tips to Prepare

By: Justin Leviner

Figure 1 shows an effect of an earthquake that caused a building to collapse on a car. (Nakata)
 Table of Contents
I. Introduction
i. Abstract

II. Effects of Earthquakes

i. Structural
ii. Environmental
iii. Effects on humans

III. How to Reinforce your Surroundings

i. Anchor Furniture
ii. Latch Items
iii. Safety barrier on Glass

IV. Create Disaster Plan/Emergency Kit

i. A Plan if an Earthquake Occurs
ii. Items to get before an Event Occurs
iii. Where to go in an Event

V. Conclusion

VI. References
 I. Introduction

Abstract

Earthquakes have been around for many years and will not be gone in the future,
and with these natural occurrences there are some devastating effects in the
aftermath. Anything can be affected by these earthquakes, whether it be buildings,
the environment, or even people. One may be asking, what causes these?
Earthquakes are caused by tectonic plates, that are beneath the Earth’s crust,
moving or shifting in any direction. These plates move on their own so that is why
it is always a safe and great idea to always have a preparation strategy and a
disaster plan with supplies that can last you a while if you are ever around an
earthquake.

II. Effects of Earthquakes

Structural Effects

Earthquakes can cause several different

effects. Structural damages to the
surroundings are one of these effects. The
closer one is to the center of an earthquake, the stronger the ground will shake, thus
creating more damage. This creates the structural damage. The shaking causes
stress on major building components and later causes the building to collapse. The
constant shaking of the ground and the damage of the major components cause
these buildings to collapse and make other buildings collapse afterwards.

Environmental Effects

Environmental effects are another example. These effects are commonly caused
when an underwater tectonic plate moves and causes a tsunami. The tsunamis
wreak havoc when they make landfall and can create terrible landslides or even kill
people that are unfortunate to make it out. As the tsunami crushes its way through
the environment, it leaves behind little to nothing and destroying the environment.
Effects on People

One of the last effects of earthquakes is how it effects the people that have been
through the event. The less fortunate ones are the ones that get killed during the
event or even sometimes after the event. The damage an earthquake leaves behind
can also leave people without homes or even transportation. It also affects people
by bursting water lines and leaving them with no clean water. These effects can
change the way people live the rest of their lives out. With the certain amount of
preparation, people do not have to fear.

III. How to Reinforce Your Surroundings

Anchor Items That Can Move

A good tip to prevent objects from moving around during the event of an
earthquake is to find a way to anchor down furniture, bookshelves, tables, etc. By
anchoring these objects down, it creates a less worry about that object damaging
something or even damaging itself during the intense shaking from the earthquake.
A way to anchor these items down could be by securing it to the floor with screws,
or by finding a way to tie it down with rope.
Latch Objects That Can Open

One other tip for in the house is to latch objects that can open such as: drawers,
cabinets, fridge, etc. Latching these items can save any objects that are stored
inside and save these items from causing damage around the house or breaking.
Latching these items inside also helps save yourself if you happen to be taking
cover under or in front of these objects.

Safety Film on Glass

One last tip is to place a film or a barrier on glass. This will help from windows or
other various glass objects from shattering and leaving glass everywhere. It will
help people from cleaning up glass or even getting cut all over. An example of
something to put over the glass would be a sheet of plywood or board the window
up on both sides to protect from glass being blown out.

IV. Create a Disaster Plan/Emergency Kit

A Plan If the Event Occurs

Having a plan before an earthquake occurs is a terrific idea. In this plan one can
outline what a person needs to do. An example would be designating someone to
anchor down the furniture or latch the openable objects in the house. Another part
of this plan would be where to go if an earthquake ends up occurring. Having a
plan is always a safe and efficient way to get things done if a natural disaster
happens.

Create an Emergency Kit

Before an earthquake happens, someone should pick up items that might not be
available to get to after it happens. Some of these items would be medications,
water that can last weeks after the event, batteries for flashlights, non-perishable
foods, and even blankets if it is during the cold seasons. Having multiple of these
emergency kits can help save people for multiple days and possibly weeks if they
are trapped in an area where there is nothing around.

V. Conclusion
Looking at earthquakes we see that this natural disaster can cause enormous
amounts of damage. They can destroy the structure of a building easily, cause
damage in the environment, and put a terrible fear in humans. With some of the
helpful tips mentioned in this paper, one can better prepare themselves before the
event by better preparing their house or creating an emergency kit to know the plan
beforehand.
 IV. References

Effects of Earthquakes on Humans and Environment." ukessays.com. 11 2018.

UKEssays. 10 2021 <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/sociology/the-
disastorous-effects-of-humans-and-environments-sociology

Cabañas, Luis, et al. “An Approach to the Measurement of the Potential Structural
Damage of Earthquake Ground Motions.” Wiley Online Library, John Wiley
& Sons, Ltd, 4 Dec. 1998,
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1096-
9845(199701)26:1%3C79::AID-EQE624%3E3.0.CO;2-Y.

Usaa. “Tips to Make Your Home Earthquake Ready.” Military.com, 31 Oct. 2017,
https://www.military.com/money/home-ownership/maintaining-your-home/
tips-to-make-home-earthquake-ready.html.

(PDF) Effects of Earthquake on the Surrounding Environment ...

https://www.researchgate.net/publication._EFFECTS_OF_EARTHQUAKE
_ON_THE_SURROUNDING_ENVIRONMENT_AN_OVERVIEW.