Earthquakes
By Aiden Blatter
Where they happen
Earthquakes nomaly happen on the edges of continents and under water. In the United States earthquakes normally happen in Alaska and California. Earthquakes can happen near volcanos as well. When earthquakes happen under water a tsunami can happen.
How the disaster happens
Earthquakes normally happen because there are large slabs of stone called tetonic plates that move together or apart. Under the tetonic plates is churning lava called convection currents. When the plates stop moving the currents release waves of energy that shakes the earth creating an earthquake.
How much damage?
You really can not control the damage . It can go from nothing to a tree tipping over. The scale that records the earthquake is called the Ricter Scale. It determines if an earthquake is big or small. It is a scale from one to ten, one being the softest and ten being the hardest. Once there was a 9.2 earthquake in Alaska!
How can we prevent earthquakes?
We can not prevent earthquakes from happening however, architects are creating building codes for stronger structures to hold up during an earthquake. If you are ever in a building during an earthquake, it is best to hide underneath something like a table in case something falls on you. If you are outside during an earthquake you need to find shelter! Also, you have to make sure that you have a ready kit. In that ready kit you should have a first aid kit, a flash light, a battery operated radio with extra batteries, and a supply of water in case you are trapped for a long period of time.
In conclusion, earthquakes are tetonic plates that move together and apart. They most likely occur at the edges of continents and in water. Earthquakes can be big or small and are measured by a Ricter Scale. We can not prevent earthquakes from happening however we can prepare ourselves better if there is one.