Week 3-11:20pm

Earthquakes

This week in geology class we had to research how our country has been effected by earthquakes,how it happens, and information on how to be prepared.In order for us to talk about earthquake history it's important to share how earthquakes form. As stated in our textbook, Earthquakes occur along the plate where the earths outer layer crust known as the fault. A fault is a semi-planar fracture system where rocks have been moved to the other side (Keller 55). 

The earth's movement of tectonic plates results in the formation and destruction of ocean basins and uplifts mountains, and the process is active along the boundaries of the phosphoric plates where faulting occurs (Keller 54). As stated,"a fault rupture occurs such as rocks breaking apart suddenly and violently. It releases a stored elastic strain energy in the form of seismic waves which produces a strong motion that passes through the ground under our feet that we perceive as a earthquake which cracks the ground and damages buildings and others structures." (Keller 59). As stated by the U.S. Geological Survey,  "seismicity refers to the geographic and historical distribution of earthquakes."  Cuba is located in an area with several active fault systems which produce on average about 2000 seismic events each year.Although Cuba has many seismic events most go unnoticed.Although most are small events, Cuba has experienced destructive and life-threatening earthquakes that have had a magnitude of 7.0 or above. Seismic activity in Cuba emanates from the Oriente fault zone, located in the Bartlett-Cayman fault system which runs along the south-eastern coast of Cuba and marks the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate.In Cuba, there are over 10 active faults and much Data that predicts in the near future that Cuba will experience a 7.0 magnitude earthquake.For the people of Cuba, as they have dealt with many earthquakes before they have learned the best way to face a challenge is to be prepared and within the last decade have intensified Earthquake education, population awareness through radio, and improved infrastructure to withstand such magnitudes. 

 
work cited:
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/glossary/?term=seismicity)
KELLER, EDWARD A.. DEVECCHIO, DUANE E. NATURAL HAZARDS: earths processes as hazards, disasters, and catastrophes (fourth edition). ROUTLEDGE, 2016
ww.radiorebelde.cu/english/news/cuba-intensifies-people-s-education-on-earthquakes-20100325/

https://earthquaketrack.com/p/cuba/recent