An earthquake is a violent shaking of the earth's surface, resulting from a sudden release of energy in the earth's crust, which creates seismic waves. It is one of the deadliest natural disasters and often leads to earth faults, earth tremors and liquefaction, landslides, tremors or tsunamis.
If we look at the structure of earthquakes occurring in the world, it becomes clear that most of the seismic activity is concentrated in a number of different earthquake belts. Earthquakes are unpredictable in terms of when they strike, but some areas are most likely to be hit.
The world map of earthquakes shows that most of them lie in precise zones, often along the edges of continents or in the middle of the ocean. The world is divided into seismic zones based on tectonic plates and earthquake magnitudes. Here list of the most vulnerable to earthquakes in the world:
10. Indonesia
Several cities are also vulnerable to earthquake damage in Indonesia. The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, is in a difficult position. Not only is it located at the top of the Pacific Ring of Fire, but slightly less than half the city is below sea level, sits on soft ground that has the potential to liquefy if struck by an earthquake of sufficient magnitude.
But the complications don't end there. Jakarta's height also puts the city at risk of flooding. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake struck the Indian Ocean with an epicenter on the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.
A mega-strength submarine earthquake occurred when the Indian Plate subducted beneath the Burma Plate and caused a series of devastating tsunamis along much of the Indian Ocean coastline, killing 230,000 people in 14 countries and flooding coastal areas in waves up to 30 meters high.
Indonesia proved to be the most affected area, with the majority of deaths at an estimated 170,000. This is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph.
9.Turkey
Turkey is located in the seismic zone between the Arabian, Eurasian and African plates. This geographic location suggests that an earthquake could strike the country at any given time. Turkey has a long history of large earthquakes, which are often found in progressive adjacent earthquakes.
The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck western Turkey on August 17, 1999 is one of the world's longest and most well-studied strike-slip (horizontal) faults: the East-West strike of the North Anatolian Fault.
The incident lasted only 37 seconds and killed about 17,000 people. More than 50,000 people were injured and more than 5,000,000 people were left homeless, making it one of the most destructive earthquakes of the 20th century.
8. Mexico
Mexico is another earthquake prone country and has experienced several high magnitude earthquakes in the past. Situated on three large tectonic plates, namely the Coconut Plate, the Pacific Plate, and the North American Plate, which make up the earth's surface, Mexico is one of the most seismically active regions on earth.
The movement of these plates causes earthquakes and volcanic activity. Mexico has a long history of devastating earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, an earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale was concentrated in a subduction zone at some distance from Acapulco, 300 kilometers long, in the city of Mexico City, 4,000 people died.
One of the most recent earthquakes hit the state of Guerrero with a magnitude of 7.2 in 2014, causing numerous casualties in the region.
7. El Salvador
El Salvador is another dangerous seismically active country that has suffered enormous damage due to the earthquake. The small Central American Republic of El Salvador has experienced, on average, one devastating earthquake per decade over the past hundred years. There were two major earthquakes on January 13 and February 13, 2001, with magnitudes 7.7 and 6.6, respectively.
These two events, which have different tectonic origins, follow the pattern of seismicity in the region, although neither of these events had known precedents in the earthquake catalog in terms of size and location. The earthquakes have damaged thousands of traditionally built homes and caused hundreds of landslides, the leading causes of death.
The earthquakes have clearly demonstrated the upward trend in seismic risk in El Salvador due to the rapid population growth in areas of increased likelihood of tremors and landslide hazards, the situation is exacerbated by deforestation and uncontrolled urbanization. The institutional arrangements needed to control land use and building practices are very weak and represent a major obstacle to risk reduction.
6. Pakistan
Another country prone to earthquakes is Pakistan, which is geologically-chemically located in the Indus-Tsangpo seam zone, which is located about 200 km north of the front Himalayas and is defined by the ophiolite chain along the southern margin. This region has the highest seismic activity and the largest earthquakes in the Himalayan region, mainly caused by the movement of faults.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan's Kashmir in October 2005, killing more than 73,000 people, many in remote parts of the country in sparsely populated urban centers such as Islamabad. Most recently, in September 2013, there was a powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, causing tremendous damage to life and property, killing at least 825 people and injuring hundreds.
5. Philippines
The Philippines lies on the edge of the Pacific Plate, which has traditionally been considered the seismically hot zone that surrounds the state. The danger of earthquakes in Manila is three times more likely. The city is comfortably adjacent to the Pacific Ring of Fire, which, of course, makes it especially sensitive not only to earthquakes, but also to volcanic eruptions.
The threat to Manila is worsened by soft soil, which poses a risk of soil liquefaction. On October 15, 2013, an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck the central Philippines. According to official statistics from the National Disaster Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 222 people have died, 8 are missing, and 976 people were injured.
In total, more than 73,000 buildings and structures were damaged, of which more than 14,500 were completely destroyed. It was the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines in 23 years. The power released by the earthquake was equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs.
4. Ecuador
Ecuador has several active volcanoes, making the country extremely dangerous for earthquakes with powerful magnitude and tremors. The country is located in the seismic zone between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate. Earthquakes that affect Ecuador can be divided into those that result from subduction junction movement along the plate boundary, those that result from deformation within the South American and Nazca plates, and those associated with active volcanoes.
On August 12, 2014, an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 on the Richter scale struck Quito, followed by a 4.3 magnitude aftershock. 2 people were killed and 8 were injured.
3. India
India has also experienced a number of several deadly earthquakes due to the 47mm movement of the Indian tectonic plate every year. Due to the movement of tectonic plates, India is prone to earthquakes. India has been divided into five zones based on peak ground acceleration.
On December 26, 2004, an earthquake formed the third deadliest in the history of the world, a tsunami that killed 15,000 people in India. An earthquake in Gujarat occurred on January 26, 2001, to celebrate the 52nd day of the Republic of India.
It lasted more than 2 minutes and was 7.7 points on the kanamori scale, according to statistics, from 13,805 to 20,023 people died, another 167,000 people were injured and about 400,000 houses were destroyed.
2. Nepal
If the calculations are correct, then the likelihood of a citizen dying in an earthquake in Nepal will be more likely than any citizen in the world. Nepal is a disaster prone country. Floods, landslides, epidemics and fires cause significant material damage in Nepal every year. It is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.
The mountains are built as a result of the movement of Indian tectonic plates under Central Asia. These two large plates of the earth's crust are converging at a relative speed of 4-5 cm per year. The peaks on Everest and its sister mountains are subject to numerous tremors. In addition, the remains of a prehistoric lake, in a 300-meter deep layer of black clay, lie in the lowlands of the Kathmandu valley. This increases the damage from strong earthquakes.
Thus, the region becomes susceptible to soil liquefaction. During strong earthquakes, solid soil turns into something like quicksand, swallowing everything above the ground. In April 2015, an earthquake in Nepal killed more than 8,000 people and affected more than 21,000. The earthquake caused an avalanche on Everest, where 21 people died, making April 25, 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history.
1. Japan
Japan tops the list of earthquake prone areas. The physical and geographical location of Japan along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes the country very sensitive to earthquakes and tsunamis. Ring of Fire - Tectonic plates in the Pacific Basin that are responsible for 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's strongest earthquakes.
At the pinnacle of its prolific tectonic activity, Japan is also home to 452 volcanoes, making it the most devastating geographic location in terms of natural disasters. The most powerful earthquake that occurred in Japan on March 11, 2011, dealt a strong blow and became one of the five largest earthquakes in the world since the beginning of seismological surveys.
It was followed by a tsunami with waves up to 10 m high. The disaster killed thousands of people and caused extensive material damage to buildings and infrastructure, leading to significant accidents at four large nuclear power plants.
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You will see the consequences of the most powerful earthquakes in the world and understand why this phenomenon is considered so dangerous.
