Earthquake

An earthquake is a sudden, rapid shaking of the ground that is caused by breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface of the earth. This shaking can cause severe of damage. It can cause buildings and bridges to collapse, disrupt gas, electric and phone service and even trigger landslides, avalanches, flash fires, floods and tsunamis. Buildings with weak foundations are at most risk. Trailers and unanchored manufactured homes are also at great risk and can be shaken off their mountings during an earthquake. Earthquakes can occur at any time of the year. The Richter scale measures earthquake intensity. It’s a logarithmic measurement of the amount of energy released by an earthquake. Earthquakes that measure at least a 4.5 on the Richter scale are strong enough to be recorded by sensitive seismographs all over the world. Several thousand shocks of varying degree occur in the United States each year.

• Buildings with weak foundations are at risk.
• Mobile homes and unanchored manufactured homes are at great risk also.
• Earthquakes happen year round, there is no earthquake season.
• The Richter scale measures earthquake intensity.