Natural

Phenomena
EARTHQUAK
ES
What is an Earthquakes ?

An Earthquake is defined as: a sudden violent shaking

of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a
result of movements within the earth's crust or volcanic
action.
Special Terms Associated with Earthquakes:
 Hypocenter: is the focus point inside the earth’s crust where the
earthquake began
 Epicenter: the earth's surface directly above the hypocenter.
 Formation of Earthquakes
A tectonic plate (also called lithospheric plate) is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock,
generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere, which is the rocky part of the earth’s
crust. As these tectonic plates meet pressure is built up as they get stuck. This occurs until the pressure is
so great that the plates break loose causing what we call an earthquake. This occurs all the time but the
amount of pressure which builds up determines how strong or weak the earthquake can be.
Formation of Earthquakes Cont.
 Causes of Earthquakes
Generally, Earthquakes are caused by:
• A Sudden release of stress along faults in the earth's crust.

•Volcanic Eruption : sudden rise in lave or magma levels beneath

the earth.
• Tectonic plates : sudden movement among the plates in the
earth’s crust.
The Effects of Earthquakes
Earthquakes in the region, over the years, have resulted in numerous effects
and wide-scale social displacement. Social displacement occurs when a
population becomes fragmented or separated during a natural disaster due to
evacuation or migration. Other effects might be:
Destruction of life and property.
Outbreak of uncontrollable fires.
Soil erosion resulting in landslides and rock fall
Can cause tsunamis.
Serious damages to infrastructures e.g., roads etc.
Loss of culture and traditions.
Trauma and emotional stress for those who endured loss from the
earthquake.
Breakdown of social order.
 The Effects
of
Earthquakes
Cont.
Measures to Minimize the Effect of
Earthquakes
 Provision of public education
• what to do before, during and after hazards is significant
 Sound building practices
• use of ball bearings which allow building to sway with
earthquake
• use of exoskeleton on building to stabilize during
earthquake
 Storing critical supplies
• adequate provisions of water, food
• knowing where documents are located
 Improvement of emergency response services
• ensuring good communication plans
• should be drills so people know what to do
• where are safe zones
• staying under a sturdy desk
 Definition of Terms Relating to
Natural Phenomena

Environmental Degradation: Environmental

degradation is the disintegration of the earth
or deterioration of the environment through the
consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil;
the destruction of environments and the eradication of
wildlife. It is characterized as any change or aggravation
to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable.
Definition of Terms Relating to
Natural Phenomena Cont.
Environmental Hazard: Any substance or physical agent with the potential to
threaten the surrounding natural environments or the potential to adversely affect
people’s health is known as an environmental hazard. The three different types of
environmental hazards include:
• Chemical: Probably the most common kind of environmental hazards,
chemical hazards are substances that can cause significant damage to the
surrounding environment or aquatic life. Common chemical hazards include
heavy metals, pesticides, carcinogens, fungicides, and more.
• Physical: Physical hazards encompasses several occupational hazards that
negatively affect human health with or without contact. Examples include
noise pollution, slip and trip hazards, fog, natural disasters, and more.
• Biological: Finally, biological environmental hazards are biological
substances that pose a threat to living organisms (specifically humans).
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities often have to deal with biohazards
like medical waste, molds, pathogens, etc.
Definition of Terms
Relating to Natural
Phenomena Cont.

Environmental Disaster: a specific event

caused by human activity that results in a
seriously negative effect on the
environment. In most cases environmental
disasters are caused by human error,
accident, lack of foresight, corner cutting
during industrial processes, greed, or by
simple incompetence. In other words,
without some kind of human intervention
they would never have happened.
Definition of Terms Relating to
Natural Phenomena Cont.

Pollution: the addition of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or

any form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the
environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed, diluted,
decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form. The
major kinds of pollution are air pollution, water pollution, and
land pollution. Modern society is also concerned about specific
types of pollutants, such as noise pollution, light pollution, and
plastic pollution.
This Presentation was Created and Presented By:
Gabrielle Leblanc
Jamali Joseph
Kendrian Augustine