How do earthquakes cause

damage?
 Building Damage

Lowlands, Tobago, 1997

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2010

It is often said, ‘earthquakes

don’t injure people, buildings
do.’ Poorly constructed
Katz House, Trinidad, 1958
buildings cannot withstand
ground shaking and increases
the risk of damage and injury.
Portsmouth, Dominica, 2004
 Landslides

Sichuan, China, 2008 Kantipur, Nepal, 2015

During an earthquake, large rocks and portions of earth high up in the hills can
become dislodged and rapidly roll or slide down into the valleys. This can result
in landslides which may cause further damage to an already affected area.
 Fires
Earthquakes can cause electricity
poles to fall and live wires to
become exposed or to start fires.
Ruptured gas lines and spillage
of flammable substances present
a significant threat of explosions
and fires, which can cause death
and destruction of property.

Mexico City, Mexico, 2017

 Liquefaction

Niigata, Japan, 1964 Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 2010

Liquefaction occurs when there is high water levels in the soil/subsurface. The ground shaking causes the sediments
to lose all cohesive strength and begin to behave as if they were liquids. Building and other structures sink into the
ground or overturn and buried tanks and other cavities rise to the surface.
 Tsunamis

Thailand, Indian Ocean, 2006 Otsuchi, Japan, 2011

A tsunami is a series of waves that can be generated by an earthquake. Large tsunamis can completely
devastate low-lying coastal areas. Not all earthquakes generates tsunamis but when the conditions are met,
the impact can be catastrophic.
Earthquakes damage depends on several factors
Magnitude
Building type or quality of construction
Type of rocks beneath the site
The distance of the earthquake from the site.
The depth at which the earthquake occurred
 Remember

Earthquakes can happen at anytime.

Preparedness and mitigation are critical to ensuring the damage from
earthquakes is minimal should one occur.

For more safety information please visit: www.uwiseismic.com

 Photo Credits

The UWI-SRC Archive

David Petley (VCO)
Getty Images