Primary and secondary damaging factors of earthquakes

The damaging factors of earthquakes are the causes of this natural phenomenon, because of which people, animals and plants are exposed to negative effects. There are quite a lot of them. And it's worth telling all about it in as much detail as possible.

Seismic shock

This is the first thing that should be noted with attention, telling about the damaging factors of earthquakes. Seismic shock is the impact caused by underground impacts (explosions) and vibrations of the Earth. It arises because of the influence of deep tectonic forces. At this moment, deformation of the earth layers occurs, and then - their subsequent compression. As a result, a critical overload occurs, due to which the layers are displaced and torn. This is the result of the crust of the earth's crust, which ends with tremors. And they, in turn, have an explicit nature of the seismic impact.

Also to this topic is the shift of glaciers and rocks. This is not the main damaging factor of the earthquake, but one of those.

Other primary factors

To the above, one can also include displacement, vibration, warping of soil and soils. Primary damaging factors of earthquakes are also warpage, cracks, subsidence and condensation. Immediately recalled a geological phenomenon, like a landslide. True, it is not the primary damaging factor of the earthquake. This is a consequence, usually occurring on the shores of the 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? Because of earthquakes. Of course, landslides have a classification. Storm, snow, glacial, volcanic, limnogenic occur for other reasons, which can be understood from the name. But seismogenic landslides are provoked by strong earthquakes. There is a breakdown of ground 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 maimed by debris of various structures, rocks, blocks.

Other factors are faults, surges of waves (the subsequent tsunami), collapse of buildings and release of underground gases.

From an earthquake to a volcanic eruption

And this is quite real. The international team of scientists in April this year once again confirmed the conclusion - an earthquake can cause (or factor) a volcanic eruption. Or not even one, but several.

Scientists have long found out that certain eruptions occurred immediately after the earthquakes. However, strangely enough, at a distance from their epicenters. This topic was also of interest to Charles Darwin.

And the connection between one and the second phenomenon is explained in different ways. One of the versions is as follows: earth tremors have a positive effect on the growth of magma bubbles. They increase in volume. And increase the pressure of magma. And it was also clarified that the spherical foci of magma resonate with seismic waves.

The second wave of consequences

Listed above - not all that entails seismic activity. These are only primary damaging factors of earthquakes, and there are also secondary ones.

These include explosions and fires. Ignition occurs in populated areas, due to the leakage of natural gas or other combustible substances, as well as the breakage of electric wires. It is worth remembering the earthquake that occurred in 1995 in Kobe (Japan). One of the most terrible natural disasters in this country is 7.3 points on the Richter scale. The cause was just a tectonic rift. Because of the fires that arose as a result of the disaster, about 5,000 people died.

Another secondary damaging factors of earthquakes are accidents, floods, sewage network breakages, and also mudflow and rock falls. All of the above can kill hundreds of people.

Avalanches

This is yet another consequence that needs to be addressed, telling about earthquakes and their damaging factors. The presentation of the phenomenon will be simple. 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. The avalanche is a real catastrophe that can sweep a person off the slope. So many climbers and snowboarders died. People just fall from a huge height and break. But there are other reasons.

Snow just looks beautiful and easy. In fact, the mass of avalanches reaches several hundred tons! As a consequence - bone fractures and asphyxia (choking). In addition, it is almost impossible to call for help. Snow has poor sound conductivity. He is soft and silences even the loudest cries for help.

Man is a provoking factor

And it's well known to all. Earlier, the damaging factors of earthquakes were listed. Primary and secondary consequences for a person can be extremely serious. It's only often in their appearance people themselves are to blame.

Some of their actions have a direct impact on natural disasters. This includes deforestation, deep soil development, the release of harmful waste into the atmosphere and even nuclear tests. The error made during the design, which is also subsequently embodied in life, can become fatal.

The cause of the unnatural earthquake can be the injection of water or oil deep into the earth, which is carried out for environmental or industrial purposes. The liquid affects the increase in underground pressure. And it, in turn, weakens the beds. The result is the occurrence of an earthquake. And their damaging factors, briefly speaking, are already reflected in people's health. That's why the responsible approach is so important. These are not just words. A person can suffer from his own actions.

Space Prerequisites

Well, above were listed the damaging factors of earthquakes - primary and secondary. But there is another interesting topic directly related to this natural phenomenon. And these are the factors that arise not after, but before the catastrophe.

Not so long ago, Japanese geophysicists managed to find out something interesting. The fact that earthquakes have a connection with the lunar cycle. In principle, this is not surprising. After all, the same ebbs and tides are associated with the lunar cycle.

What did the scientists come to? To that, it turns out, the most powerful earthquakes occurred in those periods when the full moon or the new moon reigned.

It's not very simple, but it's understandable. If we talk in ordinary language, then 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. Because of the different influence of attraction, ebbs and ebbs begin to flow in the reservoirs. In particular - in the oceans. In parallel, deformation of the land surface occurs. The changes are insignificant - 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 abruptly release the voltage that has been accumulated for years because of all the previously mentioned - lunar cycles, tides, ebbs and other factors.

Magnitude

Telling about what are the damaging factors of the earthquake, we should note the Richter scale. It determines the value that characterizes the energy released during seismic activity.

The minimum is zero points. Any activity is fixed only by instruments. A unit is an earthquake that people do not feel. A double is something that can be felt by tenants on the upper floors. Activity, ranging from 2.5 to 3 points, is felt throughout the building. Swaying of objects capable of this is noticed - chandeliers, "catchers of dreams", swings, etc.

At 3.5 points the glass rings and doors with windows open. Is there a ripple in the ponds? Hence, the force is fixed from 4 to 4.5 on the Richter scale. At five points people lose their balance, the plaster crack, and the glass breaks. If it is difficult to stand on your feet, and old buildings that keep on "praying" buildings are collapsing - activity has increased to "6" on the scale. At 6.5, cracks appear on the ground.

Destruction of communications and buildings is determined by 7 points. At 7.5 still there are notorious landslides. If the rails bend, and the pipelines stop functioning, there are already 8 points. At 8.6, the energy that occurs during an earthquake exceeds one million (!) Times that of an atomic bomb. 9 points is the end. The buildings, as well as everything existing in the district, is being destroyed.

Seaquake

This is an important topic number 2. Earthquakes and their damaging factors are really terrible. But if the fluctuations concern the reservoirs - the real catastrophe is coming.

In all cases, the dropout is accompanied by tidal waves. It's a minimum. And often this phenomenon - the consequence of an earthquake that had an epicenter on land near the sea or on its bottom.

The reason may also be a grandiose landslide of the coastal layer. Or, what is not better, the eruption of an underwater volcano. The consequences of any of the listed options are devastating. It is worth remembering 1755 - the catastrophe that happened next to Lisbon. These were seismic shocks, which triggered a sea-fright, dozens of fires and a powerful 17-meter tsunami. The catastrophe happened at 9:20, on November 1. In six minutes, 80,000 (!) People died. If you believe geologists, then the magnitude then approached 8.7 points. In that it is difficult not to believe - after all 1/3 of the city was then hopelessly destroyed.

How to predict the phenomenon?

Each person, after studying the damaging factors of earthquakes, thinks about it - can you somehow avoid all of the above? Very unlikely. It is impossible to prevent any natural phenomenon by human forces. But to recognize its approximation is quite.

Should be pricked up if in the area in which the air was clean before, a smell of gas appeared. Birds and animals are restlessly behaving? This too can be a sign. Cats usually leave their usual place of stay, carrying kittens. Birds for 10-15 minutes before the incident start to shout and jump unusually on the cage. And the animals that live in the cribs panic. The fact is that earthquakes are accompanied by anomalies of electromagnetic fields. Animals acutely feel and react.

The deformation of the road or ground canvas should alert, preliminary shocks - too. Another alarm bell is spontaneous combustion of fluorescent lamps. Of course, if something happens, you do not need to panic. But here the totality of all listed factors should be alarmed.

The disaster is coming - what should we do?

The damaging factors of earthquakes were considered. The rules of behavior are another topic worth noting with attention. God grant, of course, that this disaster never touched people. But warned - then armed.

Rule number 1 - you need to stay conscious. You need to act confidently and quickly, and this will require self-control. Rule number 2 - you must immediately leave the building. Because the safest place during seismic activity is an area with a minimum number of buildings.

Rule number 3 - leave the building after the end of the first push. Because otherwise you can lose your balance. Rule number 4 - no waste of time. Every second counts. We need to take with us only money, documents and things of prime necessity - something without which a person really can not exist. Weak, weak people, as well as animals, should be helped to leave the building.

Rule number 5 - no elevators, pandemoniums in the stairwells and jumps from the windows. And, finally, the last. Leaving the apartment / office / home / workplace, you must turn off the gas, water and electricity.

If there is no way out?

It happens that you can not leave the building. Too late, the passage is piled up, the doors are jammed - anything can happen. But 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 walls or the openings in them. And also the space, which is under the bearing structures. A person caught in such a "trap" should squat, tilt the body forward, and then close his face and head with his hands. You can stand up and turn to face the supporting wall. Another position is "lying" along it.

The chance to escape is higher if there is a reserve light source in the room, 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, maybe it will not happen, but the fact that it is easier for a person who is not losing their vigor to find their bearings in this or that situation is a fact.