EARTHQUAKES

 Earthquakes, also called

temblors, can be so
tremendously destructive, it’s
hard to imagine they occur
by the thousands every day
around the world, usually in
the form of small tremors.
 Some 80 percent of all the
planet's earthquakes occur along
the rim of the Pacific Ocean, called
the "Ring of Fire" because of the
preponderance of volcanic activity
there as well.
•Scientists assign a magnitude rating
to earthquakes based on the strength
and duration of their seismic waves.
A quake measuring 3 to 5 is
considered minor or light; 5 to 7 is
moderate to strong; 7 to 8 is major;
and 8 or more is great
 Types of Earthquake
Tectonic Earthquake
A sudden displacement along faults fissures of solid and rigid
layer on the earth.

Volcanic Earthquake
Induced by rising lava or magma beneath active volcanoes.
 Earthquakes of Volcanic origin are triggered by
fracturing of rocks, by using of magma or lava and by the
upward flow of the magma itself through cracks in the
earth’s crust (crater).

Along Active Faults

Faults - are break or zones of weakness in rocks along
which displacements had occurred or can occur again. They may
extend for hundred kilometers across the earth’s surface and ten
of kilometers downward, even down to the base of the
lithosphere
Active Faults
- Faults showing signs or documented history of recent
displacements.

Earthquakes which occur at the boundaries of the plates or

plate movement are mostly tectonic in origin. Big earthquakes
originating from shallow depths from 0-70 kilometers deep or near the
surface of the earth bring more about more destruction occurring at
shallow depths less than 30 kilometers especially when there is a
long time gap of 30 to 100 years of inactivity between two successive
displacements along the same segment of a fault.
 Lesser Destruction occur at intermediate (70-300km) and very
deep (300-700km). If a strong shallow earthquake occurs under the
sea and displaces parts of a seabed, tsunamis are often generated.

Intermediate to deep-focus earthquake

- are confined o areas associated with deep-sea trenches and
zones where two parts of earth’s layer are in a sate of collision.

Shallow earthquake
-occur along active faults, at places where part of the earth’s
outer layer are moving away from each other, and near deep sea
trenches.
Where the rocks of the earth’s crust are squeezed beyond
breaking point, one block usually rocks up the fault so that is
slightly overlaps the other.

Reverse Fault
- in regions where the crust is being stretched apart not
compressed, a similar steep fault may form, but the blocks
slip in the opposite direction.

Earthquake Focus or Focus

- The point at which rocks break.
Earthquake Focus or Focus
- The point at which rocks break. It is generally within
the upper 70km of the crust. Shock waves spread outwards
from the focus.
- Focus is the point of rapture in a trench. It is appoint
or area within the earth where the first motion along a fault
takes place.

San Andres fault in California, USA

- is one of the worlds famous tear faults.
Epicenter
- is the target of the earthquake . It is generally the point on the
surface of the earth directly above the focus.

The Philippines as an Earthquake Country

The Philippine Archipelago is located in the Circum-
Pacific Islands Arc or in the Circum-Pacific Active Zone. It lies
between two major tectonic plates of the world. The
northwestward moving Pacific Plate is presently pushing the
Philippine Sea Plate beneath the eastern side of our archipelago
or above 7 cm. per year.
 The oceanic parts of the slower-moving Eurasian Plate are
being subducted along the western side of Luzon and Mindoro at a
rate of 3 centimeters per year. The Northeastward component of
the Eurasian late motion is now sustaining the active collision of
the continental block of Palawan with Mindoro of the northern
section of the Zamboanga Peninsula with Western Mindanao.
These plate interactions, displacement along the Philippine
Fault Zone which decouples the northwestward motion of the
pacific with the southeastward motion of the Eurasian plate,
and movements along other active faults are responsible for
the present day high seismicity of the Philippine Archipelago
PHIVOLCS reported existence of trench and active volcano in
the Pacific reams from batanes down to Tawi-Tawi. There are
aligned volcanoes parallel to the Philippine Trench. In
between these volcanoes are fault that produce small
earthquake.
Identified Earthquake Generator on the Philippine Archipelago
 Philippine Trench
 East Luzon Trench
 Manila Trench
 Collision Zone between Zamboanga Peninsula and Western Mindanao
 Sulu Trench
 Cotabato Trench
 Davao Trench
 Philippine Fault Zone and its many branches
 Many Active Fault (eg. Lubang, Tablas, Casiguran, and Mindanao Faults.
 At least five earthquakes per day occur in the
Philippines. Based on the distribution of earthquakes
epicenters, the most seismically active part of the
Philippines is its eastern section containing Eastern
Mindanao. Samar and Leyte with an average of 16
perceptible earthquakes per year.
 A listing of earthquake generators and the recorded major
earthquakes that hit the Philippines shows that the Philippines is
indeed seismically active earthquake country. It may be noted
that since earthquakes with magnitude 7 of more had affected
the Philippines in the past, the likelihood of these destructive
earthquakes to occur again is indeed very strong in the future.
 Casualties of the Destructive Earthquakes that lift the Philippines
Date Epicenter Intensity Magnitude Dead Injured

02 July 1954 Bacon VII 8.3 13 101

Sorsogon

01 April 1955 Lanao, VII 7.5 291 713

Mindanao

02 August Casiguran VII 7.3 270 600

1968 Aurora

17 August Moro Gulf VII 7.9 3,739 8,000

1976 Mindanao

16 July 1990 Cabanatuan VIII 7.7 1,283 2,786

Nueva Ecija
 Why Earthquake Happens?
Earthquakes often strike without warning. They occur
when stresses in the rocks in the earth’s crust build up to such a
high level that the layers of rocks fracture. The line of the break
is called Fault. When the movements happens as a very big fault,
the amount of energy released can be equivalent to a thousand
and megaton nuclear explosions.
 Earthquake is measured by magnitude and intensity.
Magnitude is instrumentally derived information that correlates
strength with amounts of energy released at the earthquake’s
point of origin.

Richter Magnitude Scale

- the most common magnitude scale. It is based on
measurement of the amount of ground motion determined by a
seismograph at a known distance from the epicenter of the
quake.
Intensity
- refers to the effects of seismic shaking. It gives measure
of the degree of shaking based on damage to structure, effects
to human, vegetation and topography. In the Philippines the
modified Rossi-Forrel Intensity Scale is used.
Ways to describe the strength of an earthquake based on:

People man-made structures, natural objects and land

surfaces behave and react in the area affected by an
earthquake. By observing and documenting all these
behaviors and reactions, one can feel the intensity of an
earthquake within a given area.
 PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale
(courtesy of PHIVOLCS-DOST)

Intensity I : Scarcely Perceptible

Perceptible to people only under favorable circumtances.
Delicately balanced objects are disturbed slightly.
Soil waters in containers oscillates slightly.
 Intensity II: Slightly Felt
Felt by few individuals at rest indoors.
Hanging objects swing slightly.
Still water in containers oscillates noticeably.

Intensity III : Weak

Felt by many people indoors especially in upper floors of buildings,
vibrations like these of passing of a light truck are felt. Dizziness and
nausea are experienced by some people.
Hanging objects swing moderately.
Still water in containers oscillate moderately.
 Intensity IV: moderately strong
Felt generally by people indoors and some people outdoors. Light
sleepers are awakened. Vibrations are felt as though they are from the
passing of a heavy truck.
Hanging objects swing considerably. Dinner plates, glasses, windows
and doors rattle. Floors and walls of wood framed building crack.
Standing motor may rock slightly.
Water in containers oscillates strongly.
Rumbling sound may sometimes be heard.
 Intensity V: Strong
 generally felt by most people indoors and outdoors.
 hanging objects swing violently.
Shaking of leaves and twigs.

Intensity VI: Very Strong

Many people are frightened, many run outdoors. Some people loose their
balance. Motorist feel like driving with the tires.
Heavy objects and furniture move or maybe shifted. Small church bells may
ring. Wall plaster may crack. Very old or poorly built houses and man made
structures are slightly damaged though well-built structures are not affected.
Limited rockfalls and rolling boulders occur in hilly to mountainous areas
and escarpment. Trees are noticeably shaken.
 Intensity VII : Destructive
 most people are frightened and run outdoors.
Big church bells ring.
Limited liquefaction, lateral spreading and landslides are observed.

Intensity VIII: Very Destructive

People are panicky
Many well-built building are considerably damaged. Railway tracks are
bent or broken.
Tombstones maybe displaced, twisted or overturned. Utility posts,
towers and movements may tilt or topple. Water and sewer pipes maybe
bent, twisted or broken.
Liquefication and lateral spreading cause man made structures to sink,
tilt or topple. Numerous landslides and rockfalls occur. Fissures and
fault maybe observed.

 Intensity IX: Devastating
People are forcibly thrown to the ground.
Most buildings totally damaged.

Intensity X:
All man-made structures are destroyed.
Massive landslides and liquefication, large scale subsidence and
uplifting of landforms and many ground fissures are observed. Many
trees broken and uprooted.
 Types of Hazards from Earthquake
Ground Shaking
Fault Rupture
Tsunamis
Fire
Flashflood
Ground failures (landslides, differential settlement, ground
upheaval, soil liquefication, lateral spreading, fracturing
and slumping)
Ground Shaking
-causes more widespread damage particularly to the built
environment. It can be felt stronger near the epicenter.

Effects of Severe Ground Shaking or Vibration

low and tall building may tilt, split, topple and collapse.
Foundations of roads, railroad tracks, and bridges may break.
Electric post may tilt, water pipes and other installation may
dislocated and dams may break.
May generate tsunami and seiches.
May cause casualties and short to long term socio-economic
deruption.
Human casualties.
Food and water contamination.
Preparedness on Earthquake
Action Guide
1. Keep your local Earthquake risk.
2. Know your safe area during an Earthquake.
3. Discuss with your family a reunification plan.
4. Evaluate the structural soundness of your house.
5. Determine whether your house or building site is traversed by a ground shaking.
6. Note the presence of other potential sources of hazards due to secondary effects of earthquake.
7. Study the emergency plan of your house or building consider the escape route,emergency
equipments and evacuation shelter.
8. Find and memorizewhere fire extinguishers, first aid kits, alarms, utilities, and communication
facilities are located.
9. Check insurance covers earthquake damage.
10. Prepare survival kit which includes: Bottled drinking water,flashligths with spare batteries,
portable radio with spare batteries, spare dry clothing, non perishable canned foods, dry powder
beverages, beddings, hygiene kit and firts aid kit.
Watch for Possible Natural Warning Signs

1.Erratic Animal Behavior

2. Ground water levels