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Earthquake Hazards: Fire, Tsunami, Landslide

Fire

  • gas pipes broken by ground motion

    • electricity cables severed = sparks = fire

  • water lines severed

    • hard to fight fire without water

  • transportation lines severed (bridges collapse, roads blocked due to building collapse)

    • hard to fight the fire if firefighters can’t get there

Tsunami

  • often caused by subduction zones earthquakes

  • fault ruptures the seafloor and lift/drops the entire water column above the fault

    • not cause by seismic waves

  • long wavelength (miles) = wall of water comes ashore

  • impossible to outrun

Landslide

  • earthquakes can trigger landslides

  • the bigger the earthquake, the more likely there will be landslides

  • landslides are important in mountainous areas

AS

Earthquake Hazards: Fire, Tsunami, Landslide

Fire

  • gas pipes broken by ground motion

    • electricity cables severed = sparks = fire

  • water lines severed

    • hard to fight fire without water

  • transportation lines severed (bridges collapse, roads blocked due to building collapse)

    • hard to fight the fire if firefighters can’t get there

Tsunami

  • often caused by subduction zones earthquakes

  • fault ruptures the seafloor and lift/drops the entire water column above the fault

    • not cause by seismic waves

  • long wavelength (miles) = wall of water comes ashore

  • impossible to outrun

Landslide

  • earthquakes can trigger landslides

  • the bigger the earthquake, the more likely there will be landslides

  • landslides are important in mountainous areas