An earthquake is most commonly known as the shaking of the Earth’s surface. It is normally caused when two blocks of Earth suddenly slip past one another. This then causes a sudden release of energy that could either feel like a small tremor or violent shaking. Earthquakes are one of nature’s most destructive forces. They have the power to demolish cities in a matter of seconds. Scientists measure earthquakes according to the Richter Magnitude Scale. The scale ranges from one to nine. The one magnitude is the weakest measurement and normally can’t be felt. The nine magnitude is the highest rating which is believed to cause the most damage. The city is believed to have had a total population of 10,000. The earthquake which took place on October 11, 1138, reduced that number by 230,000. The city experienced a small quake the day before which caused many residents to flee. However, it was the mainshock on October, 11th that really did some damage. Not only was Aleppo destroyed but many other smaller sounding villages as well. he earthquake only lasted a few seconds. However, the powerful shaking severely altered the paths of rivers which caused deadly flooding. In other areas, it caused fires and even leveled vast mountains. Researchers believe that the devastation caused the two provinces to lose 60 percent of its total population. The horrifying tremors could be felt as far as southern Oregon. The quake generated deadly fires that burned for several days. Over 3,000 people lost their lives and around 250,000 were left homeless. The earthquake hit around 5:20 a.m. at a magnitude of 7.5 and lasting around 20 seconds. However, it was the quakes generation of a tsunami that really stirred a concoction of devastation and chaos. Forty ft tall waves came crashing down the coast of northern Sicily. An estimated 80,000 lives were lost in the disaster. The first shock struck around noon 30 miles south of Tokyo. A few minutes later, roaring waves started to crash through the cities of Yokohama and Tokyo leaving only destruction and chaos behind. This natural disaster would go down in history as the Great Kanto Earthquake. It killed an estimated 140,000 people. It measured in at 10 on the Richter scale. The natural disaster occurred on October 7, 1948, and it killed about 110,000 citizens. After the devastation people from all across the Soviet Union came together to help. Some people rebuilt schools and houses while others donated food, medicine, clothing, and other essentials. The earthquake measured at a magnitude of 8.5 and its powered showed by all the damage it caused. Thousands of people were left injured and homeless. However, millions were affected by the aftermath which caused drought and famine to all of North China. While sounding coastal cities were mainly hit the devastation sprawled as far as Hawaii, Japan, and the Philippines. Immense damages were caused by both the earthquake and the tsunami. It is believed that an estimated 1,655 people were killed worldwide and 3,000 injured. The first was a 45-second underwater earthquake that had a magnitude of 7.9. Which then caused a deadly avalanche on the northern wall of Mout Huascaran. Thousands of tons of rock and ice plummeted towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca. An estimated 75,000 lives were lost and 25,000 people were announced as missing. However, the one that took place on D December 23rd was nothing like they’ve ever seen. After the powerful tremors, a deadly fire broke out causing millions of dollars in damage and killing over 10,000 people. The quakes could be felt for more than 680 miles from all directions. More than 700,000 people are thought to have been injured and 255,000 lives were lost. The aftershock, with a magnitude of 7.1, is one of the major reasons why the death toll and damages were so severe. A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck the city for 56 seconds. It took days to find thousands of people that were trapped under rubble. Over 35,000 homes were destroyed and an estimated 1,500 people lost their lives. The severe shaking caused gas leaks which then resulted in fires and explosions throughout the city. Mexico City was almost left to ruble. Over 3,000 buildings were demolished and 10,000 people lost their lives. A magnitude 6.8 earthquake caused damage to almost a third of the country. Vital buildings like hospitals and schools were demolished and water supplies were shut off. Some people went months without electricity. Between 25,000 and 60,000 people were killed and over 130,000 injured. With help from Greece and many international aid agencies, Turkey began to rebuild their country from the ground up. Stronger homes were built in place of the older weaker homes. some of the contractors who originally built those weak houses were prosecuted for using cheap inadequate materials. The massive earthquake continued to sake the grounds for nearly 10 minutes. This caused some islands to be submerged and others to be lifted up. The sudden disturbance in the ocean generated a series of 100 ft tsunami waves to go crashing ashore. A magnitude 7.6 earthquake caused parts of the town to completely slide off the face of a cliff killing thousands of people. Similar to the situation in Sichuan, China, the severe damage caused by the quack made it extremely difficult for rescuers to reach survivors. An estimated 80,000 people were killed and millions were left homeless. The Chinese government reacted quickly to the disaster. They sent nearly 130,000 troops to aide in any way they could. Unforetnely, the severe damage made it difficult to reach remote villages. Not only did thousands of people lose their lives but millions of people were affected by either injuries or homelessness. Unfortunately Over 10,000 buildings were damaged and over 30,000 people lost their homes. The Prime Minister at the time, Silvio Berlusconi, made sure he did everything in power to pick up the broken pieces of his country. “Nobody has been left on their own, and we have a record number of rescuers,” said Berlusconi to BBC News. The initial shock was followed by an additional two aftershocks with magnitudes of 5.9 and 5.5 The aftermath of the earthquake left the country in ruins. It killed took over 300,000 lives and compromised Haitian and Dominican Republicans greatly. Thousands of survivors were left without homes, water, food and proper medical treatment. While the earthquakes are an annoyance it has forced them to be ready for anything. However, the earthquake that struck on March 11, 2011, was something they never saw coming. Japan’s scientists were left stunned when the massive 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit the northern region of Honshu, Japan. Unfortunately, disaster didn’t end there. The large quake caused generated a tsunami that crashed through the region killing more than 230,000 people. A few historic temples, a nine-story tower, and parts of a royal palace were all in the path of the earthquake’s destruction. On that horrific day, around 5,000 lives were lost and more than 10,000 people were left injured. The 7.8 magnitudes hit Ecuador’s coast and severely damaged thousands of homes and vital infrastructures like schools and hospitals. An estimated 700 people were killed and 100,000 were left homeless. The 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit central Mexico and caused immediate destruction. Hundreds of buildings collapsed and around 200 people lost their lives.
