The Earth’s surface is cracked into enormous pieces which drift on the red-hot, runny rock below. Sometimes two pieces push and shove each other, making the Earth shake.
How much damage do earthquakes cause?
Big earthquakes do lots of damage. Huge cracks open up in the ground. Houses, roads and bridges shake and fall down. In the worst earthquakes, many people are killed and injured by buildings that collapse on them.
How do scientists measure an earthquake?
An earthquake sends shock waves rippling through the ground. Scientists study these waves to see how big the earthquake is. They measure earthquakes on a scale of 1 to 10. Each quake on the scale is 30 times worse than the one before.
Is it true? People used to think earthquakes were caused by fish.
Yes. In Japan, people thought quakes were caused by a giant catfish wriggling about on the sea bed. The gods had to put a rock on the fish’s head to make it stay still!
Picture Credit : Google