Life Desk :
After one of the worst earthquakes hit Nepal on April 25, 2015 that resulted in the deaths of over 4,300 people, another quake, measuring 5.5 Richter scale, jolted parts of northwest Pakistan on April 28, 2015.
The quakes were felt in major cities including Peshawar, Malakand and Swat. According to latest reports, people ran out of their homes and buildings in fear, but there were no casualties or damage to property.
The earthquake in Nepal resulted in massive destruction and triggered avalanches in the Himalayas.
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring South Asian countries, and killed 50 people in India, Tibet and Bangladesh. The 7.8-magnitude quake had an epicenter about 50 miles from Kathmandu and 50 miles east of Pokhara.
Rescue operations are going on in Nepal with the help of thousands of aid groups providing shelter, food, water, blankets and medical treatment.
Historically, the Chilian earthquake is the largest ever recorded in the 20th Century. It happened on May 22, 1960, in Valdivia, a city in southern Chile with a magnitude of 9.5 Richter, which was equivalent to 178-Gigatons of power.
Though the quake created substantial havoc, most of the casualties came 15 minutes later when a tsunami rose up to 80 feet (25 meters) on the Chilean coastline. The combined effects of the disaster left two million people homeless and killed around 6,000 people; economic losses incurred cost more than $1 billion.
What Japan Does
Japan is another country where earthquakes occur frequently. So, no country is better prepared than Japan to face earthquakes. Schoolchildren in Japan are given earthquake drills every month. At the sound of an alarm bell that goes off without warning, children retreat under their desks to shelter from falling debris.
The Japanese government also takes children to the earthquake simulation machines every year to familiarize them with the sensation of being in an earthquake. All two-story school buildings have evacuation chutes, through which children can slide down to safety. Children are also given counseling to stay in school during earthquakes until an adult comes to collect them, in case their parents aren’t available.
The Japanese government learned valuable lessons from the Kobe earthquake in 1995. The disaster killed around 6,400 people. The government then introduced some building regulations for residential buildings, offices and transport infrastructure. Japan’s stringent building regulations ensure that skyscrapers don’t collapse even if they sway during earthquakes.
Buildings in Japan are constructed with the aid of deep foundation and massive shock absorbers to dampen seismic energy released by an earthquake. Another technique allows the base of a building to move semi-independently to its superstructure.
If an earthquake hits Japan, the media instantly switches to official earthquake coverage. The television and radio reports inform the public about prevention methods.
All offices and private houses in Japan keep earthquake emergency kits. The kits include dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies, hard-hats and gloves.
Most of the countries, especially developing countries like India, are poorly prepared for disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis. As the global earthquake rate is on the rise, it is time all nations took lessons in disaster management from Japan.
What is an Earthquake?
An earthquake is caused by a rapid release of energy in the Earth’s crust. The energy release creates seismic waves that travel through the Earth’s layers. The study of earthquakes is called seismology.
How does a Seismograph Work?
A seismograph is an instrument that is used to measure earthquakes. The device accurately records the motion of the ground during a quake.
What is Richter scale?
The Richter scale is a standard logarithmic scale that is used to compare earthquakes. The numbers on the scale measure factors of 10. An earthquake that measures 4.0 on the Richter scale is 10 times larger than a 3.0 earthquake. Anything below 2.0 is undetectable and it is called a microquake.
World’s Most Vulnerable Cities for Earthquakes
GeoHazards International, a nonprofit research group, measured the most vulnerable cities in Asia and the Americas for seismic calamity.
Kathmandu, Nepal – ranked first.
Tokyo, Nagoya and Kobe in Japan
Istanbul, Turkey
Quito, Ecuador
Manila, Philippines
Islamabad, Pakistan
San Salvador, El Salvador
Mexico City, Mexico
Izmir, Turkey
Jakarta, Indonesia
Earthquake Prone Cities in India
Guwahati in Assam and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir
Guwahati and Srinagar are at the highest risk for earthquakes in India. The cities fall in very severe earthquake intensity zone.
New Delhi
The Indian capital city is also highly prone to earthquakes. Delhi falls into the zone four category of the seismic zone divisions in India. Delhi has been seen five devastating earthquakes since 1720.
Mumbai- Maharashtra
Chennai- Tamil Nadu
Pune- Maharashtra
Kochi- Kerala
Kolkata- West Bengal
Thiruvananthapuram- Kerala
Patna- Bihar
Earthquake Safety Precautions
Knowing what to do when an earthquake strikes and after the event are important factors for survival.
Before an Earthquake
Ensure your house meets earthquake-construction requirements
Firmly secure bookcases, artwork and home appliances to withstand as much shaking as possible
Prepare an earthquake emergency kit. It should have non-perishable food, water, flashlights, first aid materials and other essential items
Plan an alternative commuting routes in case of road damage
Teach your family basic first aid
During an Earthquake
Instantly seek a safe location such as a doorway or hide beneath a table or desk
Cover your head with a helmet to minimize injury
Do not take elevators during an earthquake
If you are outside, stay in open areas. Stay away from buildings, trees and power lines
If you are driving, stop the vehicle and stay in it. Do not stop near power lines, bridges and overpasses.
-medindia
After one of the worst earthquakes hit Nepal on April 25, 2015 that resulted in the deaths of over 4,300 people, another quake, measuring 5.5 Richter scale, jolted parts of northwest Pakistan on April 28, 2015.
The quakes were felt in major cities including Peshawar, Malakand and Swat. According to latest reports, people ran out of their homes and buildings in fear, but there were no casualties or damage to property.
The earthquake in Nepal resulted in massive destruction and triggered avalanches in the Himalayas.
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring South Asian countries, and killed 50 people in India, Tibet and Bangladesh. The 7.8-magnitude quake had an epicenter about 50 miles from Kathmandu and 50 miles east of Pokhara.
Rescue operations are going on in Nepal with the help of thousands of aid groups providing shelter, food, water, blankets and medical treatment.
Historically, the Chilian earthquake is the largest ever recorded in the 20th Century. It happened on May 22, 1960, in Valdivia, a city in southern Chile with a magnitude of 9.5 Richter, which was equivalent to 178-Gigatons of power.
Though the quake created substantial havoc, most of the casualties came 15 minutes later when a tsunami rose up to 80 feet (25 meters) on the Chilean coastline. The combined effects of the disaster left two million people homeless and killed around 6,000 people; economic losses incurred cost more than $1 billion.
What Japan Does
Japan is another country where earthquakes occur frequently. So, no country is better prepared than Japan to face earthquakes. Schoolchildren in Japan are given earthquake drills every month. At the sound of an alarm bell that goes off without warning, children retreat under their desks to shelter from falling debris.
The Japanese government also takes children to the earthquake simulation machines every year to familiarize them with the sensation of being in an earthquake. All two-story school buildings have evacuation chutes, through which children can slide down to safety. Children are also given counseling to stay in school during earthquakes until an adult comes to collect them, in case their parents aren’t available.
The Japanese government learned valuable lessons from the Kobe earthquake in 1995. The disaster killed around 6,400 people. The government then introduced some building regulations for residential buildings, offices and transport infrastructure. Japan’s stringent building regulations ensure that skyscrapers don’t collapse even if they sway during earthquakes.
Buildings in Japan are constructed with the aid of deep foundation and massive shock absorbers to dampen seismic energy released by an earthquake. Another technique allows the base of a building to move semi-independently to its superstructure.
If an earthquake hits Japan, the media instantly switches to official earthquake coverage. The television and radio reports inform the public about prevention methods.
All offices and private houses in Japan keep earthquake emergency kits. The kits include dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies, hard-hats and gloves.
Most of the countries, especially developing countries like India, are poorly prepared for disasters including earthquakes and tsunamis. As the global earthquake rate is on the rise, it is time all nations took lessons in disaster management from Japan.
What is an Earthquake?
An earthquake is caused by a rapid release of energy in the Earth’s crust. The energy release creates seismic waves that travel through the Earth’s layers. The study of earthquakes is called seismology.
How does a Seismograph Work?
A seismograph is an instrument that is used to measure earthquakes. The device accurately records the motion of the ground during a quake.
What is Richter scale?
The Richter scale is a standard logarithmic scale that is used to compare earthquakes. The numbers on the scale measure factors of 10. An earthquake that measures 4.0 on the Richter scale is 10 times larger than a 3.0 earthquake. Anything below 2.0 is undetectable and it is called a microquake.
World’s Most Vulnerable Cities for Earthquakes
GeoHazards International, a nonprofit research group, measured the most vulnerable cities in Asia and the Americas for seismic calamity.
Kathmandu, Nepal – ranked first.
Tokyo, Nagoya and Kobe in Japan
Istanbul, Turkey
Quito, Ecuador
Manila, Philippines
Islamabad, Pakistan
San Salvador, El Salvador
Mexico City, Mexico
Izmir, Turkey
Jakarta, Indonesia
Earthquake Prone Cities in India
Guwahati in Assam and Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir
Guwahati and Srinagar are at the highest risk for earthquakes in India. The cities fall in very severe earthquake intensity zone.
New Delhi
The Indian capital city is also highly prone to earthquakes. Delhi falls into the zone four category of the seismic zone divisions in India. Delhi has been seen five devastating earthquakes since 1720.
Mumbai- Maharashtra
Chennai- Tamil Nadu
Pune- Maharashtra
Kochi- Kerala
Kolkata- West Bengal
Thiruvananthapuram- Kerala
Patna- Bihar
Earthquake Safety Precautions
Knowing what to do when an earthquake strikes and after the event are important factors for survival.
Before an Earthquake
Ensure your house meets earthquake-construction requirements
Firmly secure bookcases, artwork and home appliances to withstand as much shaking as possible
Prepare an earthquake emergency kit. It should have non-perishable food, water, flashlights, first aid materials and other essential items
Plan an alternative commuting routes in case of road damage
Teach your family basic first aid
During an Earthquake
Instantly seek a safe location such as a doorway or hide beneath a table or desk
Cover your head with a helmet to minimize injury
Do not take elevators during an earthquake
If you are outside, stay in open areas. Stay away from buildings, trees and power lines
If you are driving, stop the vehicle and stay in it. Do not stop near power lines, bridges and overpasses.
-medindia
