Earthquakes, being a natural phenomena, have generated both attraction and fear among people worldwide. We are aware of earthquakes leading to enormous devastation, fatalities, property damage, and potentially initiating tsunamis. Despite the numerous technological developments, earthquakes remain unpredictable and have the potential to occur at any given moment and location.
An earthquake is the result of a sudden slip between two blocks of the earth’s crust, which leads to the release of energy in the form of seismic waves. Seismic waves propagate through the Earth’s crust and can be monitored by devices known as seismometers. Earthquakes occur in various regions of the planet, encompassing terrestrial areas, subaquatic environments, and even within the earth’s mantle. The seismic intensity of an earthquake is quantified using the Richter scale, which spans from 1 to 10.
Earthquakes result from a multitude of sources, encompassing tectonic plate displacement, volcanic eruptions, and even anthropogenic operations like mining and drilling.