A geologist collects a molten lava sample from the Kamoamoa eruption. USGS photo taken by M. Patrick on March 6, 2011.What could be spookier than knowing that the ground we’re standing on could make a sudden movement at any moment?
Earthquakes can rattle chandeliers and move furniture. However, they’re not controlled by supernatural forces. Rather, an earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving but can get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, an earthquake releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking we feel.
Many U.S. coastal communities are threatened by tsunamis, and recent disasters elsewhere in the world have demonstrated how destructive these waves can be. Thesupports local and state emergency managers in their efforts to prepare communities and reduce the potential impacts of future tsunamis by studying how and where tsunamis could form, the frequency and size of past tsunamis, and how coastal communities may be vulnerable to tsunami hazards.
USGS I'm fully prepared and pertinent in all possibilities.