An earthquake is a type of natural disaster that occurs when the earth’s crust suddenly releases energy. These seismic waves, which shake the ground and can result in considerable damage and fatalities.
About fault zones:
Several tectonic plates that make up the earth’s crust are constantly moving, colliding, and sliding past one another. The majority of earthquakes happen in these “fault zones,” or the points where these tectonic plates collide. Three primary categories of fault zones exist:
• Transform faults:
These occur where tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally, such as along the San Andreas Fault in California.
• Divergent faults:
These occur where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other, creating a gap or rift zone in between. This is where a new crust is formed, such as at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
• Convergent faults:
These occur where two tectonic plates are colliding, and one plate is forced down beneath the other in a process called subduction. This is where most of the world’s largest earthquakes occur, such as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan.

When the tectonic plates move against each other→ eventually the pressure builds up→a release of a tremendous amount of energy in the form of seismic waves→waves propagate outwards shaking the ground.
How is severity of an earthquake measured?
The severity of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale, which ranges from 1 to 10. While earthquakes of a magnitude 1 to 3 are regarded as small, those with a magnitude of 7 or above are regarded as serious and can result in significant property damage and fatalities.
Safety Tips:
During an earthquake, it’s important to take safety measures to protect yourself from injury. Here are some safety tips to follow:
- If you are indoors, drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table, and hold till the shaking stops.
- Stay away from windows.
- Do not try to leave the building during the earthquake, unless there is an immediate danger.
- Stay clear of elevators.
- Follow emergency procedures and evacuation plans.
Remember, the most important thing during an earthquake is to protect yourself from injury.
So that’s all about How does an earthquake occur?