Why being prepared for earthquakes is important

It’s important to be prepared for an earthquake because you have more chances of staying alive. Also if people were prepared there would be fewer injuries. Knowing more can also help you and your family to be safe. It’s also better to be prepared because when the moment comes you are not going to know what to do and you might not have time to think and make a plan. The San Andreas fault is the most affected by earthquakes.

Preparing for an earthquake

Before an earthquake occurs you should have a disaster supplies on hand ( flashlights and extra batteries, battery operated radio, first aid kid manual, emergency food, drinking water, non electric can opener, cash, and sturdy shoes. Another very important thing you should do is develop an emergency communication plan in case family members are separated. Also if you are outside try to find a clear area away from buildings, trees, overpasses, and overhead wires. If you’re inside your house one thing you should not do is try to leave stay inside because it can be dangerous instead be calmed and take cover beneath a sturdy piece of furniture or against an indoor wall away from glass that might break. Teach children how to dial 911 in an emergency and also teach family members how to turn off gas, electricity, and water. 

How are Earthquakes Created

An earthquake is mainly created when the crust becomes stressed and slips suddenly, as the result of tectonics having moved. The movement of tectonic plates is very slow, and pressure within the earth’s crust builds up as they collide or slide past each other. Over hundreds of years, the pressure builds up, and when it finally becomes stronger than the rocks, all that energy is suddenly released creating an earthquake. The plate boundaries are made up of many faults, and most of the earthquakes around the world occur on these faults. The edges of the plates are rough; they get stuck while the rest of the plate keeps moving. Finally, when the plate has moved far enough, the edges separate on one of the faults causing an earthquake.   

Earthquakes of California

                     

    http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php 

An earthquake is what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly past one another. Earthquakes mostly occur at the San Andrea’s Fault, they tend to produce large earthquakes. The movement of huge blocks of the earth’s crust- the Pacific and North American plates cause the earthquakes of California. There are Instruments called seismographs record earthquakes. The recording they make is called a seismogram. A short wiggly line that doesn’t wiggle very much  means a small earthquake, and a long wiggly line that wiggles a lot mean a large earthquake.