For starters, according to US Representative for Illinois' 9th Congressional District, Jan Schakowsky, an earthquake is “There are many things that happen in the world that we cannot control. We can't stop earthquakes, we can't prevent droughts and we can't prevent all conflicts, but when we know where the hungry, the homeless and the sick live, then we can help." This quote shows how important it is for people to understand exactly what an earthquake is, even if we can't control or prevent it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Earthquake is defined as a dangerous natural disaster that occurs as a sudden shaking movement of rocks in the earth's crust. Low intensity earthquakes become less dangerous, however, high intensity earthquakes become very dangerous and can be extremely violent especially in the areas where they occur. There is no known duration for earthquake occurrence, it can occur at any time, anywhere and for any period of time. It can be short but repeat several times in a day. Earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy within the Earth's surface. This energy released beneath the Earth's crust creates powerful seismic waves that travel across the Earth's surface. The frequency of the waves, the type and size of the earthquake are measured with the help of seismology which involves the use of the seismometer. Larger earthquakes can destroy things as they topple huge buildings, cause injuries and cause people to die. There are various scales used to measure the shaking intensity and magnitude of an earthquake. The scale showing magnitude 3 or less indicates that the earthquake is less damaging, however the scale showing magnitude 7 or more causes enormous level damage over a wide range of areas. Earthquakes that occur under the ocean take the form of a tsunami. It is an enormous form that can cause death and destruction to living and non-living things. High intensity earthquakes cause landslides in surrounding areas. One of the main reasons for earthquake is plate tectonics which causes tectonic movements in the earth's surface. Tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface collide and overlap, causing mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes to form. This process releases a huge level of energy which creates a force and therefore a surface movement. Geological faults are also the cause of earthquakes. There are various forms of faults, however three main types are the normal fault, the reverse fault and the strike-slip fault. Normal faults generally occur in areas of extended crust, reverse faults occur in areas of shortened crust, and strike-slip faults occur in areas where two fault sides slip horizontally. Most earthquakes become part of a sequence of earthquake clusters that can repeat in a regular pattern and are related to each other in terms of location and time. Such earthquakes cause less damage, however larger earthquakes (main shock) create a foreshock (a smaller magnitude earthquake) and cause a lot of damage. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In conclusion, a series of earthquakes can occur in the seismic storm variety whenever the earthquake strikes a fault in the clusters. Tsunami is a dangerous form of earthquake that occurs as a result of a chain of rapidly moving waves in the ocean due to powerful earthquakes. It's one.