FACTS
- Earthquakes are typically caused by the movement of the earth crusts. These movements cause vibrations which pass through and around the world.
- Earthquake Early Warning systems use seismic networks to detect earthquakes very rapidly so that these warnings can protect peoples’ lives. Nevertheless, an earthquake may cause injury and death.
- Ground vibrations during an earthquake are seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects caused by the ground shaking. It is extremely important for a person to move as little as possible to reach the place of safety he or she has identified, because most injuries occur when people try to move more than a few feet during the shaking.
- Much of the damage caused by earthquakes is predictable and preventable. We must also identify and eliminate hazards at home and work to make an emergency earthquake plan and practice that plan.
STATS
- Forty-five states and territories in the United States are at moderate to very high risk of earthquakes.
- More than 500,000 earthquakes are documented each year. Although the vast majority are too small or too remotely located to be felt by humans, approximately 3,000 are perceptible by human populations, of which seven to 11 results in significant loss of life.
- In the past 25 years, over 530,000 deaths have been reported from earthquakes, with death tolls from major earthquakes ranging from fewer than five to more than 240,000.
- Earthquake Early Warning systems use seismic networks to detect earthquakes very rapidly so that these warnings can protect peoples’ lives. Nevertheless, an earthquake may cause injury and death. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, over 316,000 people were killed in the earthquake in Haiti.