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toc =Earthquake Hazards and Safety=

Vocabulary

 * liquefaction**- when an earthquake is too strong,the trembling breaks out turning dirt into muck
 * aftershock**- sometimes a significantly smaller quake that takes place after the main quake happens
 * tsunamis**- when a strong earthquake occurs by some body of water, the water gets thrown onto the land creating huge waves
 * base-isolated-buildings**- a building made to withstand the earthquake's enormous power

How Earthquakes Cause Damage

 * Shaking of Earthquakes cause damage
 * S waves more side to side motion, causing damage
 * causes avalanches or landslides
 * in coastal regions tsunamis cause most damage
 * Local Soil Conditions
 * houses on hard dense rock shake less
 * houses on thick soil shake more
 * Liquefaction
 * turns loose soil into liquid mud
 * makes cracks in ground like the earthquake in Anchorage, Alaska
 * Liquefaction happens in soil that is moist
 * makes buildings sink
 * makes land slides
 * Aftershocks
 * earthquake that happens after the first earthquake
 * can happen hours, days, or months later
 * Tsunamis
 * happens when earthquakes happen underwater and make a wave
 * starts at the epicenter goes across the ocean
 * creates multiple waves that are wide spread between 100-200 kilometers
 * height of the waves is low but becomes bigger (as big as a 6 story building)

Making Building Safer

 * people die in earthquakes from collapsing buildings
 * building must be made safer and stronger
 * Choice of Location
 * steep hills are exposed to landslides
 * filled land shakes hard
 * unsafe on fault
 * earthquake is strongest there
 * farther away from the fault the weaker the earthquake
 * Construction Methods
 * houses must be strong to beat earthquakes
 * to avoid liquefaction, soft ground built homes are anchored to rock bellow some with highways
 * re-enforced buildings are called base-isolated buildings
 * building rests on pads and springs in a base isolated building

Protecting Yourself During an Earthquake

 * Main danger in an earthquake: falling glass and objects
 * best way to protect yourself is to duck, cover, and hold
 * under a table or desk is even better
 * if there is no desk available, crouch against an inner wall
 * avoid windows, mirrors, wall hangings, or furniture that falls over
 * If outside
 * move to safe structure like a play ground
 * avoid vehicles, power lines, trees, and most importantly, buildings (especially unstable ones)
 * pack emergency kit in case earthquake, eliminates possibilities of getting food, water, and first aid
 * have a meeting with your family about emergencies

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