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Well, seismic waves travel different depending upon the underlying geology of an area. If you take the Haiti earthquake of 2010 for example, the epicentre was into the mountains within Haiti, and it is reported that buildings were still standing, yet a few kilometres away, as you reach lowland areas, houses were seen to be completely flattened. Usually, most destruction is at the epicentre itself, but this wasn't the case in the Haiti earthquake, because of the mountainous terrain and the hard rock beneath in the underlying geology. In the areas where total collapse was seen, the underlying geology was mainly composed of soils, allowing more damage to occur from the seismic waves.

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Wiki User

βˆ™ 11y ago
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AnswerBot

βˆ™ 5mo ago

An earthquake can cause terrain damage by shaking the ground violently, creating ground ruptures, landslides, and ground subsidence. The intense shaking can weaken the ground, leading to soil liquefaction, where the soil behaves like a liquid, causing buildings and infrastructure to sink or tilt. These processes can result in widespread damage to the terrain and infrastructure above it.

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βˆ™ 14y ago

its weak and cannot offer sustantial support to keep it from collapsing

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βˆ™ 10y ago

An earthquake causes terrain damage due to the plate tectonics movement. This will cause some parts of the earth surface to become loose and sink in which will result into terrain damage.

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Nyssa Baker

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βˆ™ 2y ago

More than likely, it lies upon a fault line.

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Q: How does an earthquake cause terrain damage?
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How is the distance from the epicenter related to the amount of earthquake damage?

The more energy, the more damage it can cause.


Which of the following can cause damage days or month after a large earthquake?

Aftershocks, landslides, liquefaction, and tsunamis can all cause damage in the days or months following a large earthquake. Buildings weakened by the initial earthquake may collapse due to aftershocks, while unstable terrain can lead to landslides. Liquefaction can cause the ground to become soft and unstable, and tsunamis can result from undersea earthquakes, posing a threat to coastal areas even after the initial seismic event.


What kind of damage can a 0.7 earthquake cause?

None at all. A magnitude 0.7 earthquake would be an instrumental earthquake, meaning it can be picked up on seismometers, but otherwise is not noticeable.


Which earthquake fault cause the most damage strike slip reverse or normal?

The amount of damage caused by an earthquake fault does not depend on the type of fault (strike-slip, reverse, normal). The severity of damage is mainly influenced by factors such as the magnitude of the earthquake, the depth of the focus, the distance from populated areas, and the building codes in place.


Are earthquakes cause more damage near the epicenter?

Yes, earthquakes typically cause more severe damage near the epicenter because the energy released decreases as you move away from the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and resulting damage decreases with distance from the source.

Related questions

How does an earthquake damage terrain?

An earthquake causes terrain damage due to the plate tectonics movement. This will cause some parts of the earth surface to become loose and sink in which will result into terrain damage.


What earthquake magnitude will cause sever damage?

Above 8-9 magnitude can cause severe earthquake....


Does an earthquake cause damage?

Many do, yes. Some earthquakes cause abolsutely catestrophic damage.


What damage can earthquake cause?

Earthquakes can cause damage to life and property. Buildings and roads can collapse because of that.


How is a hurricane the same as and earthquake?

They both can cause damage


What damage did the japan earthquake and tsunami cause?

loads.


Would a large earthquake cause more damage than a small earthquake?

yes


Why is an earthquake a destructive force?

Becuase it cause more damage


How bad can an earthquake damage a state?

It can cause major disruption.


Which seismic waves cause most of damage during an earthquake?

The L- Wave or the Love and Rayleigh waves (collectively known as surface waves) cause most of the damage during an earthquake.


How a magnitude earthquake could be classified as a low-intensity earthquake?

A magnitude of 8.0 earthquake could be classified as a low intensity by descriptions of damage to buildings and terrain. The intensity is often greatest near the earthquakes epicenter.


What can cause damage for days or months after a large earthquake?

after shocks can be deadly - sometimes as bad as the earthquake itself!