Earthquake-Are We at Risk for Another Catastrophy?

It has been ten days since the disastrous 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti and it was followed by a powerful 5.9 aftershock Wednesday scaring the daylights out of the remaining survivors. It seems like natural disasters are happening now more than ever before. I've been wondering if there is a need to panic about the future of mother earth, as we know it. Hot vacation spots in the Dominican Republic are just 150 miles away from the wreckage and tourists claim that you would never know there was a disaster next door if it didn't make world news. It's scary to think that they too could fall victims to a horrible disaster such as this. Does the Dominican Republic have a reason to be concerned and what about neighboring islands or Florida that is 710 miles away? Is the world at risk for a major catastrophe? Rather than get completely paranoid about things I can't control, I've decided to do a little online research about earthquakes and tsunami to see if we are more at risk now than ever before.

Earthquakes are certainly nothing new to our planet. The first recorded quake was in 1831 B.C. and took place in China's Shandong province. Earthquakes are a result of the shifting of tectonic plates and are fairly common. Florida and South Dakota have had the fewest earthquakes in America. Alaska is at the greatest risk for earthquakes as it is the most seismically active area of the world. There is approximately one quake per year in Alaska measuring a magnitude of 7 with more sizeable quakes at a magnitude of 8 or more about once every 14 years. Earthquakes can reach as deep as 400 miles below the earth's surface in areas located at the edge of tectonic plates.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is the term used to describe the area surrounding the huge Pacific plate where volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are most common. This area is where 90% of all earthquakes have occurred. The Pacific Ring of Fire surrounds the Pacific Ocean reaching from the Peru-Chile Trench through Panama, up to Alaska, over to Japan, around Australia and through New Zealand like a horseshoe.

The second most popular seismic area for earthquakes to occur is along the Alpide Belt. This is where 5-6% of all earthquakes have occurred. The Alpide Belt is made up of a huge series of mountains that extend along the borders of the Eurasian plate, African plate and Arabian plate. It includes the Himalayans, Alps, Carpathian Mountains and more. It continues through the Mediterranean and ends at the Atlantic Ocean near Spain.

The third most notorious area for earthquakes to occur is along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This strip basically slices the Atlantic Ocean in half curving west toward Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This is the longest mountain range in the world and is located under water with Iceland being its largest tip above the ocean. This area experiences seismic activity due to fact that it's nestled between the Eurasian, North American, African and South American plates.

There is currently no way to predict when an earthquake will occur or how significant it will be but you could say that there is a 100% chance that there will be one today. Most earthquakes happen along The Pacific Ring of Fire so there is more of a probability of one striking there today whether it is merely a rumble or a 7 on the Richter scale. There are a few countries where quakes are more common and studies are conducted to measure possible fore-quakes that could lead to an earthquake. Some scientists measure the beginning of a quake by the level of radon gas that is emitted and some examine the way that rocks crack in comparison to stress. Overall, we just need to be content with not knowing exactly when an earthquake will occur or how severe it will be until there is a valid measure for prediction.

Tsunami

Tsunami are created when a large amount of water is displaced and a series of waves is created leading up to what most refer to as tidal waves and are most common in Japan where the term originated. One of the events that can cause a tsunami is an underwater earthquake of great magnitude right below the ocean floor. Even if an underwater earthquake is detected, there is no foolproof tool to measure whether a tsunami will definitely follow and how powerful it will be. The most valid warning sign for civilians near the shore is when there is a dramatic suction of the ocean from the shoreline, exposing a vast area of land that is normally covered by water. People who notice this occurrence are warned to make an immediate run for higher-ground as there is very little time between the drawback and the immense wave of destruction. Places with a high risk of tsunami like Hawaii, use devices attached to buoys that can detect when significant underwater earthquakes occur and act as a tsunami warning system. They are now installing the same system in the Indian Ocean since the catastrophe that occurred last time a tsunami hit. Tsunami are not new occurrences as there have been 25 throughout the past century though they do occur less often than earthquakes.

I did not find any information supporting the idea that catastrophies like these are any more common now than they were years ago.  There is however much more media coverage than ever before. There is new technology and people generally seem more drawn to news about disasters than any other news. Photos on the internet of sick and injured people whose families have been torn apart by tragedy, live news reports, the updates are ongoing and will be for some time. This coverage takes this tragedy and makes it real to people around the world. It brings us a sense of sorrow and fear but also informs the world of a country in need of help and donations. It makes us question if the same thing could happen to us and gives many of us a sense of unrest, leaving us with unanswered questions. The best thing to do for those of us who have not been affected by a catastrophe like the earthquake in Haiti is to realize just how lucky we are and to contribute whatever we can to the cause. There seems to be no major reason to think that there will be an increase in natural disasters so right now the best we can do is to stay informed, stop panicking and live life to the fullest.

By: Frank Bilotta