Understanding Earthquake Impact and Mitigation

Earthquakes unleash energy waves, traveling through Earth's layers. These seismic waves cause the shaking we feel. Ground motion varies based on distance from the epicenter, local geology, and the earthquake's magnitude.

Seismometers capture ground motion, graphically represented via seismographs. Two key metrics are amplitude and frequency, which help assess the quake's energy and potential damage in real-time.

Scientists use 'ground motion prediction equations' considering the quake's magnitude, distance, and local soil conditions to forecast shaking intensity. These predictions are essential for earthquake-resistant design.

Soft soils can amplify seismic waves, causing more significant ground motion than rock. Mexico City's devastating 1985 earthquake exemplified this, as the city sits on an ancient lakebed.

During intense shaking, water-saturated soils can act like a liquid, a process called liquefaction. It can cause severe damage, tilting buildings and rupturing infrastructure, as seen in the 1964 Alaska earthquake.

Seismic waves travel at different velocities. P-waves are fastest, followed by S-waves, then surface waves, which cause most of the damage due to their lower frequency but higher amplitude.

Engineering advancements, like base isolation and energy dissipation devices, are revolutionizing how buildings withstand earthquakes. These technologies are reducing the impact of ground motion on structures.

Earthquakes can trigger 'earthquake lights'—mysterious glowing orbs in the sky, observed before, during, or after quakes. Scientists still debate their exact cause.