Over 31,000 people have been killed in the Turkey/Syria earthquake so far. Although the scientific and geological aspects of earthquakes are fully discovered and understood, still some people relate earthquakes to some other things like breaking the God’s rules. Do you agree with these people? Please explain. If you don’t agree with them, what do you have to tell them to enlighten them? Give a good answer and win 1,000,000 points. Thank you!
After reading the causes of Earthquake my answer is that Earthquake can be both a man-made and natural disaster.
Some of the Man-made causes are:
- Dams and Reservoirs: It is history which has proved how large reservoirs of water created by dams have caused earthquakes. Examples include from Zambia to Greece to India. Example: – 2008 Sichuan, China earthquake- killed nearly 70,000 people. It is believed that it was triggered by the construction of the Zipping Dam nearby.
- Ground water extraction: For example: – 2011 Lorca earthquake. This 2011 earthquake in Lorca, Spain caused a huge amount of destruction for its 5.1 magnitudes as was recorded on the Richter scale.
- Geothermal power plants – Salton Sea Geothermal Field and the Geysers Geothermal Field: According to a 2011 study published, it was clear that researchers at the University of California had discovered that seismic activity had increased around the Salton Sea as geothermal field operations around the area had ramped up.
- Tracking and injection wells – 2011 Oklahoma:For example:- 2011 Oklahoma earthquake- A study had pointed out that Seismic activity in Oklahoma has shot up along with the rise of fracking.
- Big Sckycrapers :As a study points out, Taipei 101’s especially huge mass of 770,000 tons is presently putting too much pressure on the soft sedimentary rock below. It comes because of the extra steel and concrete which is being used to make the skyscraper solid enough to withstand earthquakes. Since construction began on the building of Taipei 101, the region began to receive several micro-earthquakes and even two larger earthquakes which went directly underneath the building.
Conclusion: I believe Earthquake is not 100% Natural and Geological Phenomenon but other factors are also involved as enumerated above.