task 4: Surviving in the Earthquake Areas

Earthquake which shakes the earth’s surface is caused by rapid movement of the earth’s rocky outer layer. Earthquakes occur when energy stored within the earth is suddenly released. This energy is transmitted to the surface by earthquake waves, causing the damage and harming many people. Earthquakes frequently occur in the areas near the volcanoes or the faults (cracks in the earth’s crust). Based on this condition, people who live in these areas should be relocated. If they do not want to, earthquakes will crush their economy, destroy the buildings and the facilities, and remain them severe life. However, there are several problems related to economic and historical background which make
them to keep staying. As a consequence, they have to find some new ways and strategies for surviving in this ‘death area’.

Earthquakes can cause million dollars of damage and harm thousands of people. Recorded that in 1906, San Francisco was shaken by a large earthquake caused almost 3.000 people were killed and 225.000 left homeless. In Kobe 1995 a tremor occurred, caused 6.000 deaths and left another 300.000 people homeless. Many industries collapsed, million dollars lost, the economy crushed, and need more than a year to put the city back to work.

The areas near the volcanoes (such as in Japan and Hawaii) or the faults (such as in San Francisco) are the most dangerous areas. The earthquakes can occur frequently, periodically and unpredictably, crushing the buildings and killing many people. To minimize the damage and casualties, the dweller and all of the facilities should be relocated.

Now, some problems have arisen. Relocating the dwellers is not as simple as just
clapping our hand. The first problem is finding a new area to be dwelled, meanwhile the land is so limited and the price is so high. Secondly, some particular industries and agriculture could not survive in another region. The last, people could not forget their homeland historical background easily and of course will affect their psychologies.

For those reasons, we have to find some new ways to make people live in earthquake area comfortably. New structure that could not be broken easily has been designed. The earthquake detection systems are developed more accurately. And the people should know well what they have to do if an earthquake happens. These all are our attempts for surviving in the death earthquake area although we cannot against the power of nature.