Earthquakes & Tectonic Plates

 

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         Earthquakes are a devastating result of the collision of two tectonic plates.  The devastation can vary depending on magnitude and location.  The Richter Magnitude Scale is how scientist measure the strength of the earthquake. It can range from below 0.5, which would be equivalent to a hand grenade going off, to above a 10.0, which has never been recorded by man.  Some scientists have even speculated that the meteor that struck the Yucatan Peninsula was a 12.55 on the Richter Scale.  Other comparisons that we all can relate to are 2010's earthquakes in: Haiti, which was 7.0 on the Richter Scale; Chile, which was an 8.8; and more recently a quake that struck New Zealand with a 7.1.

         Plotting areas of major quakes on a tectonic map will show you that most locations fall on fault lines.  With this in mind, people should take certain precautions when living on fault lines but not all countries can afford such comforts.  Haiti, for instance, is a poor nation and when hit by the quake suffered a death toll of around 230,000 people.  New Zealand on the other hand had a quake .1 on the Richter Scale higher than Haiti but as of this moment suffered no casualties.  So, in a nutshell, when you live in an area with high probabilities of disasters, you should always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.