Week 3: Earthquakes

Being on the Ring of Fire makes Chile very prone to earthquakes. The seismic map below shows where most earthquakes occur in Chile. The red zones along the coast is where the most severe earthquakes happen. Chile has experienced many severe earthquakes before. The largest recorded earthquake happened in May of 1960, and had a magnitude of 9.5. This occurred west of Temuco. The most recent earthquake with the largest magnitude of 8.3 happened in 2015 near Illapel. Chile has an average of 1,024 earthquakes per year. Most of the earthquakes in Chile are of smaller magnitudes, and severe earthquakes do not occur that frequently. 

                                                  

Earthquakes in Chile have led to tsunamis and collapsing buildings. Unfortunately, as a result, hundreds of people lost their lives. Chile makes a strong effort to keep its citizens safe. After seeing the devastating effects of strong earthquakes, Chile changed their building codes. New buildings were made with strong columns and weak beams so the buildings will sway with the tremors rather than collapse. Additionally, builders tried to avoid constructing properties near the ocean. 

After the 2010 earthquake and tsunami, the government also issued a better early warning system to give people time to evacuate. Additionally, local groups across the country have been going through earthquake drills and constantly practicing evacuation routes. Finally, ONEMI, which is a government agency focused on preventing and helping in case of a natural disaster, visits schools and fairs to teach people what to do in an emergency. ONEMI also delivers emergency kits. Stronger urban planning and educating the public on what to do in an emergency play a major role in keeping millions of people safe. 

Sources:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Seismic-hazard-map-PGA-in-m-s-2-with-10-probability-of-exceedence-in-50-years-of-Chile_fig5_225737006
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/19354/earthquake-in-chile

Comments

  1. Jordain MonteroSeptember 6, 2024 at 8:35 PM

    Hello Sofia. I enjoyed reading your post. I found it very insightful on ONEMI and will have to look more into this organization.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ana GGSeptember 7, 2024 at 9:43 AM

    Great seismic reflection!

    ReplyDelete

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