The Ground Shakes
The ground shivers, shakes, and rumbles. Whole sections of land move, and even mountains seem to move. What is happening? It’s an earthquake!
What causes earthquakes? Earthquakes start in the earth’s crust. Pressure builds and pushes rocks until they bend. If you bend a stick long enough, it snaps and breaks. The rocks break, too. When this happens, shivers and quakes rush through the ground. Sometimes a deep rumbling sound fills the air. Sometimes whole pieces of land move.
Thousands of earthquakes that are strong enough to be felt occur somewhere on earth each year. Some people live where small earthquakes happen often. Lamps and hanging plants swing a little. Dishes may rattle. Cars may rock.
In very strong earthquakes, the walls in buildings crack. Bridges collapse, power lines break, and fires begin. In a really bad earthquake, the ground may split open.
People who study earthquakes are called seismologists. They measure the movement of a quake and the damage it causes. They also try to judge when a quake will happen so they can warn people who might be in danger.
Picture Credit : Google