Earthquake Essay for Students and Children

 Geography Book

500+ Words Essay on Earthquake

Simply speaking, Earthquake means the shaking of the Earth’s surface. It is a sudden trembling of the surface of the Earth. Earthquakes certainly are a terrible natural disaster. Furthermore, Earthquakes can cause huge damage to life and property. Some Earthquakes are weak in nature and probably go unnoticed. In contrast, some Earthquakes are major and violent. The major Earthquakes are almost always devastating in nature. Most noteworthy, the occurrence of an Earthquake is quite unpredictable. This is what makes them so dangerous.

earthquake topic essay

Types of Earthquake

Tectonic Earthquake: The Earth’s crust comprises of the slab of rocks of uneven shapes. These slab of rocks are tectonic plates. Furthermore, there is energy stored here. This energy causes tectonic plates to push away from each other or towards each other. As time passes, the energy and movement build up pressure between two plates.

Therefore, this enormous pressure causes the fault line to form. Also, the center point of this disturbance is the focus of the Earthquake. Consequently, waves of energy travel from focus to the surface. This results in shaking of the surface.

Volcanic Earthquake: This Earthquake is related to volcanic activity. Above all, the magnitude of such Earthquakes is weak. These Earthquakes are of two types. The first type is Volcano-tectonic earthquake. Here tremors occur due to injection or withdrawal of Magma. In contrast, the second type is Long-period earthquake. Here Earthquake occurs due to the pressure changes among the Earth’s layers.

Collapse Earthquake: These Earthquakes occur in the caverns and mines. Furthermore, these Earthquakes are of weak magnitude. Undergrounds blasts are probably the cause of collapsing of mines. Above all, this collapsing of mines causes seismic waves. Consequently, these seismic waves cause an Earthquake.

Explosive Earthquake: These Earthquakes almost always occur due to the testing of nuclear weapons. When a nuclear weapon detonates, a big blast occurs. This results in the release of a huge amount of energy. This probably results in Earthquakes.

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Effects of Earthquakes

First of all, the shaking of the ground is the most notable effect of the Earthquake. Furthermore, ground rupture also occurs along with shaking. This results in severe damage to infrastructure facilities. The severity of the Earthquake depends upon the magnitude and distance from the epicenter. Also, the local geographical conditions play a role in determining the severity. Ground rupture refers to the visible breaking of the Earth’s surface.

Another significant effect of Earthquake is landslides. Landslides occur due to slope instability. This slope instability happens because of Earthquake.

Earthquakes can cause soil liquefaction. This happens when water-saturated granular material loses its strength. Therefore, it transforms from solid to a liquid. Consequently, rigid structures sink into the liquefied deposits.

Earthquakes can result in fires. This happens because Earthquake damages the electric power and gas lines. Above all, it becomes extremely difficult to stop a fire once it begins.

Earthquakes can also create the infamous Tsunamis. Tsunamis are long-wavelength sea waves. These sea waves are caused by the sudden or abrupt movement of large volumes of water. This is because of an Earthquake in the ocean. Above all, Tsunamis can travel at a speed of 600-800 kilometers per hour. These tsunamis can cause massive destruction when they hit the sea coast.

In conclusion, an Earthquake is a great and terrifying phenomenon of Earth. It shows the frailty of humans against nature. It is a tremendous occurrence that certainly shocks everyone. Above all, Earthquake lasts only for a few seconds but can cause unimaginable damage.

FAQs on Earthquake

Q1 Why does an explosive Earthquake occurs?

A1 An explosive Earthquake occurs due to the testing of nuclear weapons.

Q2 Why do landslides occur because of Earthquake?

A2 Landslides happen due to slope instability. Most noteworthy, this slope instability is caused by an Earthquake.

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115 Earthquake Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Earthquakes are a natural phenomenon that can have devastating effects on communities and infrastructure. For students studying geology, geography, or environmental science, writing an essay on earthquakes can provide a deeper understanding of the causes, impacts, and mitigation strategies associated with these powerful events. To help spark your creativity, here are 115 earthquake essay topic ideas and examples:

The causes of earthquakes: exploring the geological processes that lead to seismic activity.

The Richter scale: how scientists measure the magnitude of earthquakes.

The relationship between earthquakes and plate tectonics.

Famous earthquakes in history: examining events like the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

The impact of earthquakes on buildings and infrastructure.

The role of early warning systems in mitigating earthquake damage.

The social and economic impacts of earthquakes on communities.

Earthquake forecasting: can scientists predict when and where earthquakes will occur?

The psychological effects of living in earthquake-prone regions.

The connection between earthquakes and tsunamis.

The role of government agencies in earthquake preparedness and response.

The ethics of rebuilding after a major earthquake.

Earthquake-resistant building design: how engineers are working to minimize damage.

The cultural significance of earthquakes in different societies.

The environmental impacts of earthquakes on ecosystems and wildlife.

The role of international cooperation in earthquake relief efforts.

The effects of climate change on seismic activity.

Earthquake diplomacy: how disasters can bring nations together.

The history of seismology: tracing the development of earthquake science.

The connection between fracking and induced earthquakes.

The role of social media in disseminating information during earthquakes.

The impact of earthquakes on global supply chains.

The relationship between earthquakes and volcanic activity.

The intersection of politics and earthquakes: how governments respond to disasters.

The ethics of disaster relief in earthquake-affected regions.

The role of citizen science in monitoring earthquakes.

The impact of earthquakes on mental health and well-being.

The effects of earthquakes on agriculture and food security.

The connection between earthquakes and groundwater contamination.

The role of gender in disaster response and recovery after earthquakes.

The impact of earthquakes on tourism and local economies.

The relationship between earthquakes and landslides.

The ethics of earthquake prediction: should we try to forecast seismic events?

The connection between earthquakes and nuclear power plants.

The role of indigenous knowledge in earthquake preparedness.

The impact of earthquakes on education and schools.

The effects of earthquakes on transportation networks.

The relationship between earthquakes and fracking-induced earthquakes.

The role of insurance companies in earthquake risk assessment and management.

The impact of earthquakes on wildlife and ecosystems.

The connection between earthquakes and climate change.

The role of social media in earthquake response and recovery efforts.

The effects of earthquakes on water resources and infrastructure.

The relationship between earthquakes and mental health.

The impact of earthquakes on agriculture and food security.

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Earthquake Essay

Essay on Earthquake - An earthquake is a natural disaster that occurs when two tectonic plates collide. The force of the collision creates seismic waves that travel through the earth's crust, causing the ground to shake and buildings to collapse. Here are some sample essays on earthquakes.

  • 100 Words Essay on Earthquake

Earthquakes can happen anywhere in the world, and although their occurrence is not predictable, there are some things you can do to make yourself more prepared in case one does strike. This includes having an earthquake kit ready to go, knowing how to drop, cover and hold on, and staying informed about any potential risks in your area. Make sure you have an emergency kit stocked with food, water, and other supplies, and know what to do when an earthquake hits. If you're not sure what to do, it's best to stay away from windows and other objects that could fall on you, and head to a safe place.

200 Words Essay on Earthquake

500 words essay on earthquake.

Earthquake Essay

Earthquakes are a natural disaster that come with a lot of dangers. The shaking and movement of the earth can cause buildings to fall down, trapping people inside. The shaking caused by such a sudden change is usually very minor, but large earthquakes sometimes cause very large shaking of the land. The shaking waves spread from the spot at which rock begins breaking for the first time; this spot is called the center, or hypocenter, of an earthquake.

If you're inside when an earthquake starts, drop to the ground and cover your head. The earthquake's magnitude is related to the amount of earthquake energy released in a seismic event.

Different Types of Earthquakes

There are three types of earthquakes:

Shallow | A shallow earthquake is when the earthquake's focus is close to the surface of the Earth. These earthquakes are usually less powerful than the other two types, but can still cause a lot of damage.

Intermediate | Intermediate earthquakes have a focus that's located between the surface and the Earth's mantle, and are usually more powerful than shallow earthquakes.

Deep | Deep earthquakes have a focus that's located in the mantle, which is the layer of the Earth below the crust. They're the most powerful type of earthquake, and can even cause damage on the surface.

An earthquake can cause damage to buildings and bridges; interrupt gas, electrical, and telephone services; and occasionally trigger landslides, avalanches, flash flooding, wildfires, and massive, destructive waves of water over oceans (tsunamis).

The Dangers Associated With Earthquakes

The shaking of the ground can cause objects to fall off shelves and injure people. If you're outside when an earthquake starts, move away from tall buildings, streetlights and power lines.

An earthquake can also cause a tsunami, or a large wave, to form and crash onto the shore. Tsunamis can be very dangerous and can reach heights of over 100 feet.

How to Prepare for an Earthquake

When an earthquake is imminent, your first step should be to find a safe spot. The most ideal spots are under sturdy furniture or inside door frames. It is best to stay away from windows and anything that can fall over.

Once you've found the safest place, it's time to prepare for the shaking. Grab some blankets, pillows and helmets if possible – all of which can provide extra cushioning against falling objects.

Additionally, you should always keep an eye out for debris that could cause injuries, such as broken glass and sharp objects.

Finally, stay calm until the shaking stops, and monitor local news reports for additional information on how best to handle the situation.

What to do During an Earthquake

The moment an earthquake hits, it is important to stay as calm and collected as possible. Safety is the first priority so you must stay away from windows and furniture that can fall on you, and protect your head with your arms if needed.

If an earthquake occurs while you are indoors, stay away from anything that could fall or break such as windows, mirrors, or furniture. Do not run outdoors as shaking can cause glass and other materials to fall from the building structure. Instead, seek shelter under sturdy tables or desks. If there is no furniture available, move to a corner of the room and crouch down protectively with your arms over your head and neck.

It's also important to take note of any gas lines that could be affected during an earthquake and shut them off if necessary in order to prevent fires from breaking out due to exposed pipes.

After the Earthquake: Recovery and Assistance

When the shaking stops, there will be a period of recovery.

Don't enter any building if it has visible damage due to the earthquake - it's better to be safe than sorry.

You should contact local aid organisations like the Red Cross for additional help with sheltering, water, food and other essentials.

Stay in touch with local officials about any services provided for those affected by the earthquake.

Make sure you also have a plan for what to do if you're stuck in an earthquake, and know how to get in touch with loved ones in case of an emergency.

By being prepared and knowing what to do, you can help ensure that you and your loved ones are safe in the event of an earthquake.

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105 Earthquake Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on earthquake, 📚 earthquake research paper examples, 👍 good earthquake research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot earthquake ideas to write about, ❓ earthquake research questions.

  • Earthquakes’ Impacts on Society
  • 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami
  • Earthquake Resistant Building Technology & Ethics
  • Earthquakes: Effects on People’s Health
  • A Report on Earthquakes Using Scientific Terms
  • Earthquake: Definition, Stages, and Monitoring
  • Comparison of the Loma Prieta California Earthquake and Armenia
  • Emergency Operations Plan During Earthquake Timeliness and quality of response to environmental challenges are the primary factors that can save the lives of thousands of people.
  • Earthquakes: History and Studies Earthquakes are sudden movements of the earth’s surface caused by the abrupt release of energy into the earth’s crust. The earliest earthquake took place in China in 1411 BC.
  • The Tohoku Earthquake: Tsunami Entry The paper discusses the Tohoku earthquake. The tsunami evacuation can be described as one that was preceded by warning, preparation, and knowledge.
  • Causes of the Haiti Earthquake This paper defines what an earthquake is, then discusses and reviews the causes of the Haiti Earthquake and the possibility of another Earthquake.
  • Geology: Iquique Earthquake in Chile This paper describes the Iquique earthquake that took place on 1 April, 2014 in Chile and explains why living near an active faultline is better than on an active volcano.
  • Earthquake Mitigation Measures for Oregon Oregon could prepare for the earthquake by using earthquake-proof construction technologies and training people.
  • Earthquakes as the Natural Disaster Posing the Greatest Danger to Societies The scope of irreparable damage, human losses, and paralyzed infrastructure due to earthquakes causes high economic costs for rescuing, preventing, reconstructing, rehabilitating.
  • Earthquakes Preventions in USA and Japan The article clarifies the issue of earthquakes in the United States, investigate the weaknesses of the American system, and explore the benefits of the Japanese technique.
  • Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand The earthquake is considered one of the costliest natural disasters in history. Thousands of buildings, cars, and other property were damaged or destroyed completely.
  • Consequences of Northridge Earthquake The paper discusses Northridge Earthquake. A blind thrust fault provoked an earthquake of a magnitude of 6.7, which is high for such a natural phenomenon.
  • Humanitarian Assistance After 2010 Haiti Earthquake This paper aims to discuss how the people of Haiti experienced the earthquake, as well as how humanitarian aid from various organizations helped make a difference for Haitians.
  • Earthquakes: Determination of the Risk There is a need to create awareness and knowledge about earthquake disasters and how to mitigate and respond to such disasters.
  • Earthquake Threats in Bakersfield Earthquakes and dam failures are the most severe threats to Bakersfield, both of which can result in gas leaks and power disruptions.
  • Effects of Earthquakes: Differences in the Magnitude of Damage Caused by Earthquakes There are various types of earthquakes depending on the cause of the earthquake hence have different effects and damage to property and loss of life.
  • Energy Safety and Earthquake Hazards Program The distribution of earthquakes around the world is not uniform. Some parts experience earthquakes frequently while others do not.
  • Destructive Force: Earthquake in Aquila, Italy A high magnitude earthquake shook Central Italy and the worst hit was the city of Aquila, the pain and sorrow were palpable but it did not take long before the people decided to move on.
  • Scientific Responsibility for Earthquakes in Japan Extensive geological studies of the occurrence of earthquakes not only in Japan but also around the world have uncovered useful information on their devastating potential.
  • India’s, Indonesia’s, Haiti’s, Japan’s Earthquakes In 2001, the major tremor hit the Indian state Gujarat. It was reported as the most significant earthquake in the region in the last several decades.
  • Active Tectonics and Earthquake Geology Along the Pallatanga Fault
  • An Instrumental Earthquake Magnitude Scale
  • Critical Double Impulse Input and Bound of Earthquake Input Energy to Building Structure
  • Benefits and Costs of Earthquake Mitigation
  • Spatial Patterns of Earthquake Disaster Probability and Individual Risk Perception
  • Designing Earthquake-Proof Buildings
  • Earthquake Magnitude: Recent Research and Current Trends
  • Disaster and Economic Structural Change: The Earthquake
  • Assessing Earthquake Early Warning Using Sparse Networks in Developing Countries
  • Earthquake Magnitude, Intensity, Energy, and Acceleration
  • Disaster and Political Trust: The Japan Tsunami and Earthquake
  • Appraising the Unhappiness Due to the Great East Japan Earthquake
  • Earthquake Magnitude Scaling Using Seismogeodetic Data
  • Numerical and Comparative Study of Earthquake Intensity Indices in Seismic Analysis
  • Earthquake and Volcanic Hazards in the Caribbean
  • Estimating Earthquake Location and Magnitude From Seismic Intensity Data
  • Dependence of Earthquakes on the Human Factor
  • A Surprisingly Good Measure of Earthquake Ground Motion
  • Recent Studies of Historical Earthquake-Induced Landsliding, Ground Damage in New Zealand
  • Business Losses, Transportation Damage, and the Northridge Earthquake
  • Difference Between Earthquake Magnitude and Earthquake
  • Using Earthquake Intensities to Forecast Earthquake Occurrence Times
  • Corporate Philanthropy: Insights From the Wenchuan Earthquake in China
  • Crisis Communication During Volcanic Emergencies: Japanese Earthquake
  • Earthquake Hazard and the Environmental Seismic Intensity Scale
  • Earthquake Magnitude Time Series: Scaling Behavior of Visibility Networks
  • Regional Relationships Among Earthquake Magnitude Scales
  • Impact and Lessons Learned From the Japanese Earthquake
  • Earthquake Planning and Decision Support Systems
  • A Probabilistic Neural Network for Earthquake Magnitude Prediction
  • Effects of Earthquake on the Surrounding Environment
  • Earthquake Risk Assessment for the Building Inventory
  • A Criterion for Determining Exceedance of the Operating Basis Earthquake
  • Living With Earthquake and Flood Hazards
  • Statistical Models for Earthquake Occurrences and Residual Analysis for Point Processes
  • Fiscal and Social Costs of Recovery Programs for an Earthquake Disaster
  • Correlation Between Earthquake Intensity Parameters and Damage Indices of High-Rise RC Chimneys
  • Real-Time Seismology and Earthquake Damage Mitigation
  • Routine Data Processing in Earthquake Seismology
  • Fault-Zone Properties and Earthquake Rupture
  • Traditional Construction Techniques for Construction of Earthquake Resistant Buildings
  • Implementing New Loan Programs for an Earthquake
  • Earthquake Risk Mitigation: The Impact of Seismic Retrofitting Strategies on Urban Resilience
  • New Possible Earthquake Precursor and Initial Area for Satellite Monitoring
  • Federal State and Local First Responders Earthquake
  • Interdependency Amongst Earthquake Magnitudes in Southern California
  • Influence of Fluids and Magma on Earthquakes: Seismological Evidence
  • Network Similarity and Statistical Analysis of Earthquake Seismic Data
  • Statistics of Earthquake Activity: Models and Methods for Earthquake Predictability Studies
  • Superbrittleness of Rocks and Earthquake Activity
  • Why Do Earthquakes Occur in the Lithosphere?
  • What Is the Relationship Between Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics?
  • What Conditions Need to Be Present in Order for an Earthquake to Occur?
  • Where Was the Deadliest Earthquake?
  • What Is the Medium of Earthquake Waves?
  • How Is the Amount of Energy Released During an Earthquake Measured?
  • What Is the Difference Between an Earthquake and a Fault?
  • Where Is the Safest Place to Be During an Earthquake?
  • What Does the Magnitude of an Earthquake Mean?
  • What Is the Source of Energy for an Earthquake?
  • What Tectonic Plates Caused the Haiti Earthquake?
  • Does an Earthquake Form Only in the Continental Crust?
  • What Information Does an Epicenter Provide About an Earthquake?
  • Why Is the Shaking Close to an Earthquake’s Epicenter More Severe?
  • Do Earthquakes Cause Volcanoes to Erupt?
  • How Are an Earthquake’s Fault Focus and Epicenter Related?
  • How Do Tectonic Plates Cause Earthquakes and Volcanoes?
  • Why Do Most Earthquakes Occur Along Tectonic Plate Boundaries?
  • What Type of Fault Caused the Japan Earthquake in 2011?
  • What Is Soil Liquefaction During Earthquake Motion?
  • Why Are Earthquakes Mechanical Waves?
  • How Do Earthquake Locations Support the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
  • What Energy Is Released by an Earthquake?
  • Why Don’t Insurance Companies Usually Offer Earthquake Insurance?
  • Do Earthquakes Typically Occur Along Passive Continental Margins?
  • How Do Geologists Locate the Epicenter of an Earthquake?
  • What Geologic Cycle Is an Earthquake In?
  • What Is the Social and Economic Impacts of Earthquake?
  • Why Are Large Earthquakes Less Common Than Small Earthquakes?
  • How Do Earthquakes Affect the Earth’s Crust?

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These essay examples and topics on Earthquake were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

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  • Earthquake Essay

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Download the Earthquake Essay Available on Vedantu’s Website.

Earthquakes are some of the most devastating natural disasters. Millions of dollars worth of property are damaged and a hundred die every time a big magnitude of eater quake strikes.  It is in this regard that everyone must read and know about earthquakes and be prepared to mitigate the damage. Furthermore, the topic of earthquakes is quite often asked in exams. Preparing for this topic will enable them to have an edge and score more marks in the English paper.

To serve the above-mentioned purpose, Vedantu has come up with the Earthquake essay. This essay is prepared by the experts who know what exactly is required to know and weeding out points that are not important. The essay is very precise and would surely allow students to successfully claim marks in the essay question and even stay prepared when an earthquake actually strikes.

What is an Earthquake?

When the earth’s surface shakes, the phenomenon is referred to as an earthquake. Precisely, the sudden trembling of the earth’s surface is the cause of an earthquake. Earthquakes are regarded as one of the deadliest natural disasters. Huge damage and loss of property are caused by earthquakes. There are various types of earthquakes. Some of them are severe in nature. The most dangerous thing about an earthquake is that it is quite unpredictable. It can cause several damages without any previous indication. The intensity of an earthquake is measured by the Richter’s scale. Generally, earthquakes occur due to the movement of tectonic plates under the earth’s surface.

Types of Earthquake

There are four kinds of earthquakes namely 

Tectonic Earthquake,

Volcanic Earthquake, 

Collapse Earthquake and 

Explosive Earthquake.

Tectonic Earthquake 

It is caused due to the movement of the slab of rocks of uneven shapes that lie underneath the earth’s crust. Apart from that, energy is stored in the earth’s crust. Tectonic plates are pushed away from each other or towards each other due to the energy. A pressure is formed because of the energy and movement as time passes. A fault line is formed due to severe pressure. The center point of this dispersion is the epicenter of the earthquake. Subsequently, traveling of the waves of energy from focus to the surface causes the tremor.

Volcanic Earthquake

The earthquake caused by volcanic activity is called a volcanic earthquake. These kinds of earthquakes are of weaker magnitudes. Volcanic earthquakes are categorized into two types. In the first type, which is called volcano-tectonic, shaking happens due to input or withdrawal of Magma. In the second type, which is termed as Long-period earthquake, tremors occur due to changing of pressure among the earth’s layers.

Collapse Earthquake

Collapse Earthquake is the third type of earthquake that occurs in the caverns and mines. This is another example of a weak magnitude earthquake. Mines collapsed due to underground blasts. Consequently, seismic waves are formed due to this collapsing. Earthquakes occur because of these seismic waves.

Explosive Earthquake

The fourth type of earthquake is called an explosive earthquake. This is caused due to the testing of nuclear weapons.

Effects of Earthquake

The effects of earthquakes are very severe and deadly. 

It can cause irreparable damage to property and loss of human lives. The lethality of an earthquake depends on its distance from the epicentre. 

Damage to establishments is the direct impact of an earthquake. In the hilly areas, several landslides are caused due to earthquakes.  

Another major impact of an earthquake is soil liquefaction. Losing the strength of water-saturated granular material is the cause behind this. The rigidity of soil is totally lost due to this.

Since the earthquake affects the electric power and gas lines, it can cause a fire to break out. 

Deadly Tsunamis are caused due to earthquakes. Gigantic sea waves are caused by the sudden or abnormal movement of huge volumes of water. This is called an earthquake in the ocean. When tsunamis hit the sea coasts, they cause a massive loss of lives and properties. 

Earthquake is termed as one of the most huge and lethal natural disasters in the world. It proves the fact that human beings are just nothing in front of nature. The sudden occurrence of earthquakes shocks everyone. Scientists are working rigorously to prevent the damage of earthquakes, but nothing fruitful has been achieved yet.

Examples of Devastating Earthquake

The city of Kobe in Japan witnessed a devastating earthquake on January  17, 1995, killing more than 6,000 and making more than 45,000 people homeless.  The magnitude of the quake was 6.9 at the moment which caused damage of around 100 million dollars.  The governor of Kobe spent years on reconstruction and made efforts to bring back fifty thousand people who had left home.  Japan geologically is a highly active country. It lies upon four major tectonic plates namely, Eurasian, Philippine, Pacific, and North American which frequently meet and interact.

The second incident is in Nepal where an earthquake struck on April 25, 2015. About 9000 people were killed and almost 600,000 structures were destroyed.  The magnitude of the quake was 7.9 and the repels were felt by neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, China and India.  The disaster caused severe damage of millions of dollars. All the countries across the world including India garnered to help Nepal by sending monetary aid, medical supplies, transport helicopters and others.

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FAQs on Earthquake Essay

1. How to download the Earthquake Essay?

The Earthquake essay is available on Vedantu's website in PDF format. The PDF could be downloaded on any device, be it android, apple or windows.    One just has to log on to www.vedantu.com and download the document. The document is totally free of cost and a student does not need to pay any prior registration fee.  

2. How to protect oneself during an earthquake?

Earthquakes could be very disastrous and can cause a lot of collateral damage.  During an earthquake you can look for the corners to hide. Another safe place to hide is under the table or under the bed. If one is sitting in a multistory building, avoid taking a lift and only use the stairs. In this kind of situation, one should never panic and stay calm.  Let the earthquake pass until then keep hiding in the safe spot. Once over, come out to evaluate the situation and take appropriate actions.

3. How to mitigate the effects of an earthquake?

Prevention is better than cure. It is always a better idea to take necessary actions before an earthquake has struck. In the first place, send a copy of all your documents to someone reliable. In case of an earthquake that destroys your important documents, there would always remain a facility to retrieve them.  Research and know if your city is in a seismic zone.  One should also take note of earthquakes during the construction of a house and lay emphasis on a seismic-proof house.

4. How can one teach people about the effects of an earthquake?

There are many ways one can raise awareness about the effects of earthquakes.  There is Youtube and Instagram which could be used to disseminate all the knowledge about the earthquake and its impact on humans. You can also go to schools and colleges to conduct a seminar whereby the students could be told about the mitigation and steps to take when an earthquake strikes.  However before that, one must thoroughly research the topic. For this, visit www.vedntu.com and download the earthquake essay for free.

5. Who has written the Earthquake essay?

The earthquake essay provided by Vedantu is prepared by expert teachers who invest a good amount of time and effort to come up with an essay that is highly useful for the students in their personal lives as well as for their academic performance. The students can use this essay to maximize their abilities to cope with the questions on earthquakes and the earthquake itself. The essay is totally reliable and one mustn’t doubt its credibility at all.

How to Write an Essay About Earthquakes

Diana v. faustmann.

Delve into an area that interests you about earthquakes and then focus on a subject within it.

Earthquakes cover as much ground in essay writing as they do in the real world. You can relate a personal earthquake experience, describe the steps to become a seismologist, narrate the earthquake history of a certain location or compare earthquakes to other natural disasters. Then you can choose to describe your topic, narrate a specific incident, analyze earthquake effects or argue for a better earthquake coping mechanism. These rich options challenge you to narrow your focus and define your purpose upfront. Then use sound research and a simple essay format to convey your informed message about earthquakes clearly and concisely.

Narrow your focus. Choose an area about earthquakes that fascinates or intrigues you and then restrict your focus further within it. For example, go from earthquakes in general to the Haiti earthquake of 2010, and from its effect on the Haitian people to orphans specifically.

Decide on your angle. Perform cursory research on your selected topic and then decide whether you want to narrate, explain, analyze, argue or persuade your readers to take action.

Establish your thesis and identify several sub-topics that exemplify or otherwise support your thesis. Develop a thesis statement that contains both elements. For example, “Seismology is a sound career to consider. You work outdoors most of the time, study the causes and effects of earthquakes in depth, and help to discover ways to limit their damage.”

Outline your introduction, body and conclusion. Focus your research on the data that you need to amplify your sub-topics. For instance, for the sub-topic, “The Richter scale is an inadequate earthquake measurement tool,” in your outline, add three bullets corresponding to case studies that illustrate that claim.

Write your introductory paragraph to compel further reading. First, provide a lead-in that gives earthquakes an interesting or original slant. Then narrow your focus and end with a statement of your thesis. For example, “My family barely escaped calamity in last summer's earthquake. Many of our neighbors were not so lucky; they lost homes and lives. Clearly, our homes still don’t adequately protect us from shifts in the seismic plates beneath us. We need to better earthquake-proof our area with a building code that is stronger in three major areas: (a), (b) and (c).”

Assign one or two paragraphs to address each sub-topic. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence followed by supporting facts or examples. For example, state that “Governments should discourage new developments over known earthquake faults.” Follow this topic sentence with a description of three communities that earthquakes virtually demolished.

End your essay clearly and confidently. Begin your conclusion with “in summary” or “in brief,” then restate your thesis and sub-topics. Engage your readers with one final, memorable or compelling statement or anecdote. For example, “Compassion can be as earth-shaking as an earthquake, but with the opposite effect. Investigate how you can help to rebuild the lives of Haitian earthquake orphans today.”

  • Sometimes your research leads you to a different conclusion than your thesis originally set out to prove. Adjust your thesis statement accordingly.
  • Keep your sentences short and coherent. As much as possible, use active verbs throughout.
  • Use transitional expressions between sentences and paragraphs; words such as “moreover,” “consequently” and “finally,” help your readers follow your train of thought and move smoothly from one thought to the next.
  • Review your essay for spelling and grammar errors and any weaknesses in its flow. If possible, recruit a friend to help you proofread your essay before you submit it.
  • 1 Purdue Online Writing Lab: Essay Writing

About the Author

Since 1988, Diana Faustmann has been writing on technology, business and culture. Her articles have appeared in various print publications, corporate websites and authoritative online sites. Faustmann holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of the Philippines.

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earthquake topic essay

Essay Topics About Earthquakes

  • Essay Topics

earthquake topic essay

Essay Questions About Earthquakes

  • What Motivates Volunteerism During A Natural Disaster?
  • Who Benefits from Cash and Food-for-Work Programs in Haiti Following the Earthquake?
  • Why Did Haiti Suffer More from An Earthquake Than Kobe?
  • Why Did the Haiti Earthquake Happen?
  • Why Does the Chilean Earthquake Occur?
  • Why Was the Earthquake in Haiti So Deadly?
  • Was the Japan Earthquake Caused by Humans?
  • How Did the 1964 Alaska Earthquake Improve Our Knowledge?
  • How Does the Theory of Plate Tectonics Contribute to Our Understanding of the Global Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanic Zones?
  • How Did Leaders Exert Control Over the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake?
  • How Unstable Was the Regional Economy Following the Kobe Earthquake in 1995?
  • How Would Society Respond to Modern Earthquakes If Only Myths Were Believed?
  • How Did the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Affect the Economic Activity of the American West?
  • How Does the Nepal Earthquake Continue to Alter the Lives of People?
  • Are Individuals Insured Against Natural Catastrophes Like Earthquakes?
  • What Are the Long-Term Effects of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake?
  • How Do Small Japanese Businesses Prepare for Natural Disasters Like Earthquakes?
  • The Kobe Earthquake and the Death of Mrs. Endo
  • What Was the Most Recent Earthquake?
  • What Are Earthquakes, and Why Do They Occur?
  • What Are Three Facts About Earthquakes?
  • What Is an Earthquake, in Simple Terms?
  • How Do Earthquakes Begin?
  • What Effects Do Earthquakes Have?
  • How Can We Prevent Earthquakes?
  • What Are the Five Most Important Earthquake Causes?
  • Where Is It Safest to Be During an Earthquake?
  • Can Humans Trigger Earthquakes?
  • What Are the Five Facts Concerning Earthquakes?
  • Does A Minor Earthquake Indicate an Upcoming Major Earthquake?

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Earthquake Cause and Effect Essay Sample

Earthquakes are one of the worst and deadliest natural disasters that can occur. They are due to different factors and leave behind after-effects in their wake. An earthquake is the sudden release of strain energy in the crust of the planet’s surface, which will result in shaking that resonates outwards from the source. Simply, it is the sudden shaking of the Earth’s surface and can also be called a quake, tremor, or tremblor.

Earthquakes come in different sizes, as some are weak and cannot be felt, while others are violent and can destroy cities. The frequency, size, and type of quakes experienced are called seismicity. Earthquakes can be a result of volcanic action too. Furthermore, they have various effects that disturb lives and property.

The Valdivia Earthquake, also known as the Great Chilean, is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded. It occurred on the 22 nd of May, 1960, with studies placing it between 9.4 and 9.6 on the moment magnitude scale. The main cause of the quake was tension released by the Nazca plate under the South American plate. The earthquake lasted for about 10 minutes and resulted in tsunamis that affected Hawaii, southern Chile, eastern New Zealand, the Aleutian Islands, Japan, southeast Australia, and the Philippines.

Earthquakes are one of the most destructive and fascinating natural disasters that can cause a huge amount of destruction, injuries, and even death, but what makes them so dangerous? In this earthquake cause and effect essay sample, we will attempt to answer this question and explore why earthquakes occur and what effects they can have on society and the environment. Earthquakes are caused by sudden movement of the earth’s crust resulting from a release of energy from the Earth’s interior, and can be triggered by many different things including human activities such as mining and construction. Understanding the processes behind earthquakes can help individuals and organizations make better plans for future mitigation and adaptation if an earthquake were to occur. Additionally, students can buy a coursework to learn how to plan for an earthquake and develop better understanding of how to prepare for and cope with natural disasters.

Causes of Earthquakes

The main cause of the quakes is the sudden release of stress from the faults in the Earth’s crust. In this guide on how to do a cause and effect essay , we will cover the causes of an earthquake. As the continuous motion of layers transpires, it causes a gradual build-up of pressure on both sides of a fault. This happens because of plate boundaries that are moving. Once the stress is too significant, it is released in a shaky movement. So, how are earthquakes caused? Here are the factors causing quakes.

Tectonic Movements of the Earth

One of the leading causes of an earthquake is movement from the tectonics. This is a shift of the planes making up the crust. Our planet consists of about a dozen major plates and several minor ones and is constantly changing.

The tectonic plates frequently move slowly, but sometimes, they get stuck because of friction. When the stress on the crust becomes more significant than the friction, an earthquake happens to release energy. This brings about a shaky feeling in steps through the planet’s crust. Little movement from the tectonic caused big things such as the happenings in the Ring of Fire.

Seismicity Ripples

Seismic waves are one of the causes of earthquakes. These are elastic ripples generated by an impulse, like an earthquake. The energy from the fault in the crust of the planet will radiate outward in different directions through seismicity. Think of it as ripples on a pond. As the ripples move through the surface, they shake the floor and anything on it. These can be in the form of ripples, which is when an earthquake happens more than once. North Carolina earthquake events occur because of seismicity, although they don’t have significant damage.

Compressions in the Crust of the Earth

Compression in the crust happens when plate tectonics are pushed together. The crust will become shorter and thicker, and depending on how it reacts to the force, it can lead to an earthquake. Due to compression, many quakes that occur in Australia are caused by these shifts along faults. Also, the main cause of the Northridge earthquake 1994 was the compressions on the planet’s surface.

Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanic eruptions are one of the less likely causes of an earthquake, depending on the volcano that erupts. The earthquake will be triggered when an explosion of an explosive volcano. These ripples have a wider effect than volcanic eruptions when they trigger an earthquake. In the case of volcanic eruptions, around 20 miles of the region around the volcano will be affected when it erupts. The largest volcanic tremor took place under Mount St. Helens in 1981 , with an intensity of 5.5.

Disturbances on the Surface

In general, an earthquake can be caused by disturbances on the surface. Technology advancement is one of the popular cause/effect essay topics , which is to some extent responsible for catastrophes like an earthquake. Humanity builds skyscrapers, constructs dams, and gets water from underground. Dams and reservoirs are known to trigger earthquakes, especially when a dam structure fails.

For instance, the 2008 happening in Sichuan , China, which killed about 70,000 persons, was triggered by the nearby Zipping Dam construction. Another disturbance is groundwater extraction, as this can destabilize an existing fault. Hydraulic fracking is a method of extracting natural resources. It works when shale formations underneath are injected with a mixture of chemicals and water at high pressure. Fracking has had such an impact on the environment causing earthquakes.

Big buildings and skyscrapers can also add significant pressure on the Earth’s surface and crack rudimentary rocks.

Writing a college admission essay can be a difficult and intimidating process. Fortunately, there are college admission essay services that can help. These services can help to ensure that the essay meets the requirements of the college. Ultimately, college admission essay service provide students with the resources needed to create a persuasive and effective essay that will make a lasting impression on college admissions committees.

Effects of Earthquakes

When an earthquake happens, it leaves behind five primary outcomes and fires, a significant secondary impact of quakes. The effects of earthquakes on the Earth are often devastating, with people getting killed and injured, buildings getting destroyed, and the emotional and mental health of those affected. That’s why the investigation of this topic is so crucial in minimizing the adverse outcomes.

If you need an essay discussing this or any similar topic, our custom essay writing services can help you get the job done quickly and professionally. Now, let’s get to the main repercussions of quakes.

Ground Shaking

One of the most negative effects of earthquakes is surface shaking. During this time, buildings can be damaged, humans and animals will not be able to stand up or move around, and objects can be tossed around regardless of how big they are. Lives are taken in earthquakes but not directly by the shaking. Instead, it is caused by shaking, like buildings collapsing or getting hit by large objects.

The shaking of unstable slopes and direct blowout during an earthquake can lead to a landslide. Landslides are harmful effects of earthquakes and can damage buildings, tumbling hilltop homes, and block roads and transport lines. When a landslide happens, parts of the planet slide down and block an area. It can affect transportation after the earthquake, causing increased expenditure and leading to injuries and death for people there.

Surface Rupture

Another effect of quakes is surface breaking, which happens when the earthquake breaks the surface. As the earthquake occurs along a fault-line, it breaks through the Earth’s surface and can damage roads, pipelines, railway lines, tunnels, and airport runways. They will be damaged in the aftermath of an earthquake. An example of surface damage during an earthquake was the 1906 quake in California. The main cause of the quake was a slip of the San Andreas fault. The San Andreas fault is a major fracture of the planet’s crust.

Although this is a less common effect, an earthquake causes a tsunami. Tsunamis are water or tidal shakes that cause grave danger to places around the world, especially those in the Pacific Northwest region. An earthquake can cause the seafloor to move vertically apart from the normal floor. This will shake up the ocean and come in a series of floods to the beach. Tsunamis can move more than 700 kilometers per hour, causing flooding. It can damage properties and lead to death and injury too. Places close to the ocean are often subjected to tsunamis during an earthquake.

Liquefaction

Liquefaction is one of the outcomes of an earthquake that happens on the unconsolidated surface. When sediment grains are made to float in groundwater, the soil will lose all its solidity, and this is liquefaction. Tremors and earthquakes can cause mud and sand to spray over a couple of meters, posing a danger to buildings, train lines, gas lines, roads, and airport runways. Buildings can tip over and sink because of the liquefied soils, as occurred in the 1964 Niigata earthquake in Japan. Even septic tanks and gas tanks can float to the surface. Liquefaction after earthquakes leads to damages worth millions of dollars.

Earthquakes can have devastating consequences, so learning more about their causes and effects can be extremely beneficial. Recently, scientists have made tremendous progress in understanding the mechanisms behind earthquakes. To develop a deeper understanding of earthquakes, students may be required to write a coursework for me exploring the causes and effects of them. For example, they can focus on exploring tectonic plates and how they move and affect the ground, as well as the effect of natural conditions like weather and climate on their development. Additionally, the effects of an earthquake, such as structural damage and the resulting landslides, tsunamis and fires, can be further investigated in other science studies.

This essay has highlighted the cause and effect of earthquakes.  Earthquakes are severe natural disasters caused by shifts in the crust of the Earth. Compressions on the planet’s surface, human disturbances like skyscrapers and dams, and tectonics moving can cause earthquakes.  When they occur, consequences like landslides, ruptures, tsunamis, and more will follow. Some of the top countries prone to quakes are China, Indonesia, Turkey, Peru, Iran, Turkey, the United States, Japan, and Italy. China has gone through 157 earthquakes between 1900 and 2016. People living in these areas have precautions taken to protect themselves from injury during an earthquake.

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Essay on Earthquake Preparedness

Students are often asked to write an essay on Earthquake Preparedness in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Earthquake Preparedness

Understanding earthquakes.

An earthquake is when the ground shakes because of energy released from the earth’s crust. This can damage buildings and cause injuries. Knowing what to do before, during, and after an earthquake is important to stay safe.

Before an Earthquake

Prepare by making an emergency kit with food, water, and first aid supplies. Secure heavy furniture to walls and learn where to take cover. Talk with your family about a meeting place outside your home.

During an Earthquake

If indoors, drop to the ground, take cover under something strong, like a table, and hold on. Stay away from windows to avoid breaking glass.

After an Earthquake

When shaking stops, carefully leave the building. Avoid roads and bridges that might be damaged. Check for injuries and use your emergency supplies if needed. Remember, aftershocks may follow, so stay alert.

250 Words Essay on Earthquake Preparedness

An earthquake is when the ground shakes because of energy released from the earth’s crust. This can happen without warning, so it’s important to be ready at all times.

Make a Plan

First, talk with your family about what to do during an earthquake. Pick a safe place in every room, like under a sturdy table or against an inside wall. Agree on a meeting spot outside your home where everyone will go after the shaking stops.

Emergency Kit

Put together a bag with important things like water, food that won’t go bad, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, and extra batteries. Keep this bag in an easy-to-grab place.

Home Safety

Make your home safer. Secure heavy furniture to the walls and put heavy items on lower shelves. This helps stop things from falling and hurting someone.

Practice Drills

Practice makes perfect. Have earthquake drills with your family. Drop, cover, and hold on! Get under a sturdy table and hold on until the shaking stops.

Learn and Share

Learn more about earthquakes at school or from books. Share what you learn with friends and family so they can be prepared too.

Remember, being ready for an earthquake means knowing what to do before, during, and after it happens. Stay calm and be smart to stay safe.

500 Words Essay on Earthquake Preparedness

An earthquake is what happens when the ground shakes because of energy released from the earth’s crust. This can make buildings fall, roads crack, and cause a lot of harm to people and places. Since we cannot stop earthquakes from happening, it is very important for us to be ready for them.

Why Prepare for Earthquakes

Being prepared for an earthquake can save lives. It means knowing what to do before, during, and after the shaking starts. This can help people stay calm and reduce the chances of getting hurt.

Getting ready before an earthquake means making a plan and having supplies. Families should talk about what to do if an earthquake happens. This includes picking a safe place in every room, like under a strong table, to hide during the shaking. It is also good to practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” drills.

People should also have emergency kits with food, water, a flashlight, a first aid kit, and other important things to last for at least three days. It is smart to keep these kits at home, work, and in the car.

Making homes safer is another part of being ready. This means fixing heavy furniture to walls and putting heavy items on lower shelves so they do not fall during an earthquake.

When the ground starts shaking, it is important to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.” This means getting down on the ground, taking cover under something sturdy, like a table, and holding on until the shaking stops. Staying away from windows and outside doors is also a good idea because they can break.

If someone is outside when an earthquake starts, they should move to an open area away from buildings, trees, and power lines. If in a car, it is best to pull over and stay inside the car until the shaking stops.

After the shaking stops, it is important to be careful because there can be aftershocks, which are smaller earthquakes that happen after the big one. Checking for injuries and making sure it is safe before leaving the safe spot is important. People should also be ready to leave their homes if it is not safe to stay.

Listening to the radio or checking the internet for information from officials can help people know what to do next. If someone smells gas or sees a broken wire, they should tell an adult or call for help but never touch it.

Learning and Sharing Knowledge

It is good for students to learn about earthquake preparedness at school and share what they learn with their families. Teachers can help by talking about earthquakes and doing drills with their students.

In conclusion, being ready for an earthquake is about making plans, having supplies, and knowing what to do when the ground shakes. By preparing, people can feel safer and be able to help others during and after an earthquake. Remember, we cannot control when an earthquake will happen, but we can control how ready we are.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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earthquake topic essay

Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Disasters — Earthquake

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Essays on Earthquake

Hook examples for earthquake essays, anecdotal hook.

"Imagine standing in your home, the ground suddenly shaking beneath your feet, and the world around you trembling. I experienced this firsthand, and it left me with a profound respect for the power of earthquakes."

Rhetorical Question Hook

"Can we ever truly predict when the earth will shake, or are we forever at the mercy of Mother Nature's seismic whims? Earthquakes raise questions about our understanding of the planet."

Startling Statistic Hook

"Each year, there are over a million recorded earthquakes globally, with thousands causing significant damage. These statistics underscore the need for preparedness and resilience."

"'Nature does not know extinction; all it knows is transformation.' These words by Wernher von Braun highlight the ever-changing and dynamic nature of our planet, including the seismic forces at play."

Historical Hook

"Throughout history, earthquakes have shaped civilizations and landscapes. Exploring the seismic events that have left their mark on human history offers valuable insights."

Narrative Hook

"Step into the shoes of a survivor of a devastating earthquake, where resilience and community come to the forefront. This narrative unveils the human stories behind the geological forces."

Contrast Hook

"In a world of technological advancements and scientific discoveries, why do earthquakes continue to catch us off guard? Contrasting our capabilities with the unpredictable forces of nature raises important questions."

Emotional Appeal Hook

"The fear, the loss, and the hope that follow an earthquake resonate deeply with our shared humanity. Understanding the emotional aftermath underscores the importance of preparedness."

Shocking Scenario Hook

"Imagine a future where earthquake prediction becomes a reality, saving lives and preventing destruction. Exploring this scenario challenges us to push the boundaries of science and technology."

Curiosity Hook

"What causes earthquakes, and how do they shape the Earth's surface? Delving into the geological processes behind seismic events unravels the mysteries of our dynamic planet."

Samples of Earthquake Resistant Home.

The origin of earthquakes, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

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earthquake topic essay

Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Fire, Father: Community and Catastrophe in the Wake of 3/11

Roshan sivaraman, instructor’s introduction.

Roshan Sivaraman has created a gorgeous and provocative essay in WR 152, American Environmental History. I particularly appreciate their extremely skillful introductory structure in this essay about the massively destructive 2011 Japanese earthquake that subsequently threatened the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Their assessment measured American and Japanese public and media reactions, offered clear background context, and dealt effectively with the numerous complexities of their topic. In proposing the topic, they wrote, “I am interested in researching cultural responses to both ‘natural’ and ‘man-made’ environmental disasters in order to understand the role of fear and sensationalism in our relationship with the environment.”  In class, I especially appreciated Roshan’s agile mind that could hold ambiguities and then present a thoughtful and articulate synthesis of those ideas.  And within their essay, they also provided engaging multimodal resources in support of their claim.  I invite you to enjoy their essay!

From the Writer

We are living in a time of natural disaster. As the planet warms, our relationship with nature is becoming increasingly adversarial, with rising temperatures and rising seas threatening to take away many of the things we take for granted about life on Earth. But some natural disasters seem inevitable: for example, it is very difficult to blame earthquakes and tsunamis on human actions. On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Tōhoku region experienced a trio of disasters—earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown—the likes of which no country has ever experienced. Japan has some of the most sophisticated tsunamis prediction and evacuation systems in the world, but the death toll was still catastrophic. In “Earthquake, Thunderbolt, Fire, Father,” I explore the narratives we tell ourselves about natural disasters—that sometimes, a disaster is an inescapable “act of God”—and examine what these narratives say about our relationships with our planet, our institutions, and each other.

earthquake topic essay

The cover of a police briefing following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

AT 2:46 PM on March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Tōhoku region of northeastern Japan, triggering a tsunami with waves up to 40 meters tall. It was the fourth tsunami to hit the region in the past two centuries (the last one being in 1960) and the most violent one in the past millennium. Though Japan had, even at the time, some of the most advanced tsunami prediction and preparedness systems in the world, the casualties were high. Nearly sixteen thousand died; almost three thousand went missing (Bestor 764). In the aftermath of the disaster, the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) expanded its seismic and tsunami monitoring capabilities with a network of broadband seismometers, and the central government circulated a set of guidelines for preventive infrastructure ranging from new building codes to new breakwaters and flood gates (Koshimura 10). But the most critical detail of the new tsunami preparedness strategies was the assumption that they would fail: that buildings could fall, that flood gates could topple. Japan resurfaced from the 3.11 disasters with the lesson that nothing was foolproof in the face of nature’s might.

The American media, however, neglected to report on this lesson. The Associated Press reported, for example, on the “resilient spirit” of the Japanese people, admiring their calmness, stoicism, and seemingly unquestioning trust in their government after the crisis. “There is little of the public anger and frustra- tion that so often bursts forth in other countries,” reported Fox News journalist Kelly Olsen. To American eyes, the seemingly successful Japanese responses to the triple crises on March 11, 2011 serve as evidence that peaceful, law-abiding communities are uniquely equipped to survive natural disasters. But such an assumption is not only dangerous for the future of disenfran- chised communities in the United States–it mischaracterizes and romanticizes Japanese culture as being much more naïve than it actually is. In neglecting to report on the less convenient sides of 3.11, the American media illuminated our own aspira- tions for our relationship with nature: one of unquestioning, docile compliance in the face of crisis, and one where the only thing we have to fear is human nature, rather than nature itself. In reality, Japanese responses to 3.11 reveal a conflict between nature, community, and authority. It was local communities, not the national government, that led the most successful efforts to both escape the tsunami and to promote recovery–largely due to mistrust in the government as well as a cultural heritage based around both revering and fearing nature.

Though tsunamis are by far the most common form of natural disaster in the Japanese archipelago, they are by no means com- mon. The most recent major tsunami had been on May 23, 1960, when a 9.4 magnitude earthquake (the strongest ever recorded) off the coast of Chile sent waves up to 6 meters tall crashing into the Sanriku coast of eastern Japan (Satake 355). Since the earth- quake itself was so distant, the tsunami took Sanriku residents by surprise, prompting the Japanese government to expand its already extensive tsunami countermeasures. These ten coun- termeasures, which had been established after the 1933 Showa Great Sanriku Tsunami, included: “Relocation of dwelling hous- es to high ground, coastal dykes, tsunami control forests, sea- walls, tsunami-resistant areas, buffer zones, evacuation routes, tsunami watch, tsunami evacuation, [and] memorial events” (Koshimura 3). In 1960, the Japanese economy was thriving: the postwar government had instituted the ‘Income-Doubling Plan’ the same year, spurring rapid economic growth and conve- niently covering the costs of constructing new coastal dykes and seawalls. In 1997, the central government reinforced these countermeasures with a comprehensive three-pronged strategy: first, to protect the coastline with floodwalls, breakwaters, and coastal dykes; second, to build resilient communities with sensible ur- ban planning and land use; and third, to educate the public on how to both prepare for tsunamis and how to evacuate.

earthquake topic essay

Governed separately from physical tsunami countermeasures, yet no less important, was the Japanese seismological commu- nity. Before Japan’s entry into the field, seismology was mostly a “pure science,” dominated by Westerners like Charles E. Richter (remembered for his eponymous Richter scale), who described prediction as “the province of fools and charlatans” (Clancey 334). Japanese seismology, on the other hand, was explicitly focused on predicting earthquakes: unlike Europeans, Japanese seismologists had observed firsthand the massive destruction that earthquakes and tsunamis could cause, and held a vested interest in protecting its vulnerable coastal communities from harm. Japanese scientists created the seismograph, unlocking the possibility of predicting earthquakes for the first time (Clancey 336). By the 1970s, Japanese seismologists were able to determine with a fair degree of certainty that the next major earthquake would occur in the Tōkai region; in 1978, the central government passed the Large-Scale Earthquake Countermea- sures Act, diverting significant funding towards monitoring seismic activity and establishing a council of six seismologists who would advise the prime minister on whether to issue an evacuation order–only in the Tōkai region, but still the most extensive earthquake advisory board of its kind in the world. By most accounts, Japan had the best possible strategies for surviv- ing its next great earthquake. The 2011 Tōhoku tsunami tested these strategies; some were successful, and some were not.

Complicating the 3.11 disaster was the reactor meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, located about 175 kilometers to the south-southwest of the earthquake’s epicenter. The earthquake tripped both the electrical generators that powered the reactor as well as the diesel-fueled backup generators, resulting in a total loss of power, disabling the reactor’s crucial cooling systems and–in turn–triggering a reactor meltdown. It is important to note that, though Japan has the most traumatic nuclear history of any country, the shadows of the 1945 bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki seem to barely affect Japan’s modern political relationship with nuclear power. Before 2011, Japan had planned to derive 30 percent of its energy from nuclear sources, and to scale that percentage to 50 percent by 2030 (Kan 16).

earthquake topic essay

With six boiling water reactors (BWR) driving a series of electric generators that added up to 4.7 gigawatts in power, Fukushima Daiichi was one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world (Atomic Archive). It was also far from unprotected: at 35 feet (10 meters) above the ocean, with a 19 foot (5.79 meters) seawall, it was designed in excess of the tsunami countermea- sures proposed after the 1960 Sanriku tsunami. But the 3.11 tsunami overwhelmed these countermeasures for several reasons: first, the earthquake itself occurred just off the coast of Japan, rather than thousands of miles away; second, the tsunami itself was nowhere near the Tōkai region, where the Japanese seismological community had predicted the next tsunami to occur; and third, it moved faster than 100 miles per hour, making it impossible to evacuate in advance. Though Japan was theoretically prepared for disaster, the Tōhoku tsunami was a combination of everything it was unprepared for.

PART ONE: SOUTEIGAI

After the disaster, government spokespeople and the representatives of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tōkyō Denryoku, or TEPCO, who operated the Fukushima plant) adopted the word souteigai to describe the events of March 11, 2011. Soutei- gai is fairly analogous to the idea of the “black swan” event, meaning catastrophic events that, while seemingly preventable in hindsight, were startling and unexpected at the time (Bestor 767). The public scoffed at this notion. Though TEPCO initially vehemently denied any culpability in the reactor meltdown, they eventually admitted to “downplaying tsunami risk, resisting adopting international safety standards, and having an institutionalized inclination to cut corners to save money in ways that jeopardized safety” (Kingston 507). Interestingly, despite vast public outcry, TEPCO’s executives were found to be not guilty of criminal negligence, though TEPCO was eventually nationalized to save the corporation from bankruptcy (Wakatsuki).

earthquake topic essay

There are several problems with the “black swan” narrative–the souteigai , the act of God. In many cases, this sort of narrative positions natural disasters as “primarily accidents–unexpected, unpredictable happenings that are the price of doing business on this planet,” and they are “positioned outside the moral compass of our culture” (Steinberg xxi). It’s clear that TEPCO had intended their souteigai defense to deflect any and all accountability during the worst natural disaster in Japan’s history.

But the reactor meltdown was only a small part of the disaster: while the evacuation and quarantine of Fukushima prefecture was costly and time-consuming, the tsunami itself killed far more people. It was one thing to blame a corporation for ne- glecting safety standards; was it fair to blame the Japanese seis- mological community for failing to predict it? Or to blame Japa- nese urban planners and civil engineers for making coastal cities resilient, but not resilient enough? It seems more actionable to, like Ted Steinberg, argue that there is really no such thing as a “natural” disaster, and that the responsibility falls entirely on human hands. But such an argument is ripe for creating civil unrest and social strife. Situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) identifies two types of crises: first, the intentional or preventable crisis, in which a human actor causes the crisis; and second, the victim crisis, in which natural forces cause the crisis. Social scientists at VU University Amsterdam conducted a framing experiment using the Fukushima crisis as a target. In the “intentional” crisis framing, respondents were more likely to react angrily, with 66% of 71 respondents holding TEPCO responsible for the incident. They were also more likely to be “motivated to do something about the incident because they believe that they can influence the situation” (Utz 42). In the “victim” crisis, on the other hand, 72% of 54 of respondents blamed the incident on circumstances (Utz 44). These respondents were also more likely to react with a sense of helplessness, an emotion that was felt across the Tōhoku region–and especially those who were not directly impacted by the radioactive fallout from Fukushima.

earthquake topic essay

What does one do, when regional corporations cannot be trusted to safeguard hazardous materials, and even the best seismic experts in the world cannot be relied upon to predict the next town-destroying tsunami? If it were just the corpora- tions, it would be easy enough to seek legal action. But for much of Japan, the effects of 3.11 rippled out into a lack of trust in the government and in authority in general. This was in large part because many of the groups that survived the tsunami did so by ignoring the government-circulated hazard maps, assuming that the tsunami would travel much higher along the coastline than the government predicted. Similarly, Kamaishi East Junior High School had one of the highest survival rates of any school in the area because they had been taught three lessons of evacuation by Gumma University professor Toshitaka Katada: to “not trust hazard maps, to make their best efforts in any situation, and to take the initiative of evacuation in the community” (Koshimura 10). But this lack of trust in authority, though it had saved thou- sands of lives during the tsunami, only exacerbated an already widespread feeling of helplessness and social anguish. After the disasters, the then-incumbent Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was ousted in a landslide victory by the Liberal Democratic Party and an assortment of small, idealistic local parties, such as the Tomorrow Party of Japan. It is especially notable that the regions with the most unexpected political turnover (such as the rural, conservative Miyagi and Iwate prefectures) were also those that were hit hardest by the disasters (see Figs. 6a and 6b).

PART TWO: KIZUNA

The antidote to social anguish is community. In a trust experiment that was coincidentally interrupted by 3.11, social scien- tists attempted to gauge to what extent Japanese citizens trusted their peers after the ment that was coincidentally interrupted by 3.11, social scientists attempted to gauge to what extent Japanese citizens trusted their peers after the disasters. In the experiment, participants consistently and significantly underestimated the trustworthiness of their peers, expecting 40% to return a certain small sum of money when 80% did so (before 3.11). The number of participants to return the money also increased after the earthquake, from 80% to 100% (Veszteg 126). Thus, though people generally distrusted authority, they could usually trust in their own communities; people were more likely to trust someone who had placed trust in them, and communities could weather recovery through mutual trust rather than through trusting authority. This is an example of the Japanese idea of kizuna , meaning “human psychological ties,” which went on to become Japan’s 2011 Kanji of the Year.

Both American and Japanese media have reported extensively on kizuna , mostly to admire the Japanese people’s stoicism and order following the disasters. American perceptions of Japanese culture generally fall under the assumption that the Japanese follow a “group model” of society, one based on the paternalism of authority figures, selfless loyalty to the prosperity of the group, and on conformity and cooperation rather than competition and conflict (Befu 170). While this idea of kizuna seems to reflect the values of the group model–especially that of mutual prosperity–it is especially characterized by a lack of trust in authority. Kizuna and the post-3.11 era are not reflections of “Japanese cultural DNA,” as much of the Western media argued. They are instead signs of communities coming together in the face of crisis, rejecting scientific and governmental authority in favor of community wisdom.

earthquake topic essay

It is through community that the Japanese people find their relationship with nature and authority alike, and that relationship is one based mostly on fear. Japanese proverbial wisdom outlines four fears that present danger to the bonds of community: these fears are jishin, kaminari, kaji, oyaji , or earthquake, thunderbolt, fire, father. Three are natural and literal; the fourth, “father,” represents paternal rage (or government tyranny).

Jishin, kaminari, kaji, oyaji suggests that danger is everywhere, technology is untrustworthy, and the first thing to fear is earth- quakes. Thousands of tsunami stones (see Figs. 8a and 8b)–built hundreds of years ago in villages across the Japanese archipelago-warn residents not to build below certain elevations, in a piece of antique wisdom that saved numerous villages on 3.11. They are simple, yet effective: “Many carry simple warnings to drop everything and seek higher ground after a strong earthquake. Others provide grim reminders of the waves’ destructive force by listing past death tolls or marking mass graves” (Fackler). Also indicative of the Japanese fear of earthquakes is, again, that seismology was Japan’s first science. Just as many of the first American inventions were used for agriculture, the fear of earthquakes is ingrained deep into the Japanese subconscious.

earthquake topic essay

In reporting about the 3.11 disasters, American media outlets admired a few characteristics of the Japanese survivors. The As- sociated Press reported on the Japanese’s “resilient spirit,” noting the “polite demeanor, the lack of anger, the little if any looting or profiteering that seems to characterize disasters elsewhere” (Alabaster). This focus on looting and profiteering is characteristic of American coverage on natural disasters–during Hurricane Ida, for example, the New Orleans Police Department instituted “anti-looting” teams, disproportionately in Black communities. The reality was that many of the stories of looting were entirely fabricated. One activist in New Orleans told TIME Magazine,

“I have not seen any looting, any smashing, any aggression. I’ve seen people helping each other. I’ve seen people showing up for each other. I have not seen any [helpful] actions from the police” (Bates). At the same time, diverting police resources towards “anti-looting” prevented those same resources from providing shelter and aid to families in need. The Japanese’s supposedly “uncomplaining” response to the 3.11 disasters seems like an American policymaker’s dream, but that view obscures the very real distrust and uncertainty that was brewing at the same time. American media outlets also tended to ignore regions of Japan that were swept away by the tsunami in favor of covering the radioactive fallout from Fukushima. It is very American to ignore the natural side of a natural disaster; it is a black swan, an act of God, and therefore is irrelevant because there is no one to answer for it. In the American view, the real tragedies are man-made, from negligence at a nuclear power plant to looting during a hurricane, regardless of whether or not they even exist. After 3.11, the lesson the Japanese learned could not be any further from what the American media learned: authority, even scientific authority, is untrustworthy, and the only thing that can save people from the ravages of nature is not authority–it is community.

earthquake topic essay

Community– kizuna –is one of the biggest threats to authority, and has the potential to completely overturn the American natural disaster response. A similar trust experiment to the one conducted in March 2011 had been conducted after Hurricane Katrina, and discovered that the respondents also significantly underestimated the trustworthiness of their peers, and especially their peers of other racial and socioeconomic backgrounds (Hawkins 1784). This is the limitation of using Japan as a model for natural disaster response: Japan is, unlike the United States, relatively racially homogenous. Its homogeneity is also a product of decades of nationalistic policies and ethnic supremacy; it is significantly easier to place trust in one’s community when they look like you and act like you. Ironically, the Japanese model for a relationship with nature is fairly libertarian: the government has little say in how people interact with nature, just as people have little say in how nature affects them. Japan’s response to 3.11 is a lesson in community-building and in fear: it is safer to fear nature than to fear nothing at all.

WORKS CITED

“Aichi Rescue Officer Remembers Information Black- out after 3/11.” The Japan Times , Chunichi Shimbun, 26 Feb. 2021, https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/26/ national/311-information-blackout/

Bates, Josiah. “New Orleans Wary as Police Aim at Looting amid Hurricane Ida.” Time , Time, 2 Sept. 2021, https://time. com/6094022/new-orleans-hurricane-ida-looting/.

Befu, Harumi. “The Group Model of Japanese Society and an Alternative.” Rice Institute Pamphlet – Rice University Studies, 1980, p. 169-187.

Bestor, Theodore C. “Disasters, Natural and Unnatural: Reflections on March 11, 2011, and Its Aftermath.” The Journal of Asian Studies , vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 763–82. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43553226 . Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

Clancey, Gregory. “Japanese Seismicity and the Limits of Prediction.” The Journal of Asian Studies , vol. 71, no. 2, 2012, pp. 333–44. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23263423. Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

“Ex-TEPCO Execs Plead Not Guilty over Fukushima Crisis in Appeal Trial.” Kyodo News+ , KYODO NEWS, 2 Nov. 2021, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/3cd65ba68a5d-ex- tepco-execs-plead-not-guilty-over-fukushima-crisis-in-appeal- trial.html.

Fackler, Martin. “Tsunami Warnings, Written in Stone.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 20 Apr. 2011, https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/world/asia/21stones.html?pagewanted=al.

“Fukushima.” Atomic Archive , https://www.atomicarchive.com/science/power/fukushima.html .

Hawkins, Robert and Katherine Mauer. “Bonding, Bridging and Linking: How Social Capital Operated in New Orleans Follow- ing Hurricane Katrina.” British Journal of Social Work . 2010. pp. 1777-1793. 10.1093/bjsw/bcp087.

Hunchuck, Elise. “2015 – 2017: An Incomplete Atlas of Stones.” elisehunchuck , https://elisehunchuck.com/2015-2017-An-Incomplete-Atlas-of-Stones .

Kan, Naoto. “The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Disaster and the Future of Renewable Energy.” My Nuclear Nightmare: Lead- ing Japan Through the Fukushima Disaster to a Nuclear-Free Future , Cornell University Press, 2018, pp. 3–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctt20d89f7.2 . Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

Olsen, Kelly. “Quake Response Showcases Japan’s Resilient Spirit.” Fox News , The Associated Press, 27 Mar. 2015, https://www.foxnews.com/world/quake-response-showcases-japans-resilient-spirit .

Stokes, Bruce. “Japanese Divided on Democracy’s Success at Home, but Value Voice of the People.” Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project , Pew Research Center, 31 May 2020, https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2017/10/17/japanese-divided-on-democracys-success-at-home-but-value-voice-of-the-people/ .

Utz, Sonja, et al. “Crisis Communication Online: How Medium, Crisis Type and Emotions Affected Public Reactions in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster.” Public Relations Review , vol. 39, no. 1, Mar. 2013, pp. 40–46., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2012.09.010

Veszteg, Róbert Ferenc, et al. “The Impact of the Tohoku Earth- quake and Tsunami on Social Capital in Japan: Trust before and after the Disaster.” International Political Science Review / Re- vue Internationale de Science Politique , vol. 36, no. 2, 2015, pp. 119–38. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24573456. Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

LIST OF FIGURES

1 (cover). “東日本大震災に伴う警察措置|警察庁Webサ / Po- lice Measures Associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake.”警察庁 / National Police Agency of Japan, https://www.npa.go.jp/news/other/earthquake2011/keisatsusoti.html .

2. Made in QGIS using data from “Tsunami Data and Infor- mation.” Tsunami Data and Information | National Geophysi- cal Data Center. NCEI, U.S. Department of Commerce, 28 July 2006, htt ps://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazard/tsu.shtml.

3. “Fukushima.” Atomic Archive, https://www.atomicarchive.com/science/power/fukushima.html .

4a, 4b. Koshimura, Shunichi, and Nobuo Shuto. “Response to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster.” Philosophical Transactions: Mathematical, Physical and En- gineering Sciences , vol. 373, no. 2053, 2015, pp. 1–15. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24506317. Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

5. “Ex-TEPCO Execs Plead Not Guilty over Fukushima Crisis in Appeal Trial.” Kyodo News+ , KYODO NEWS, 2 Nov. 2021, https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/11/3cd65ba68a5d-ex-tepco-execs-plead-not-guilty-over-fukushima-crisis-in-appeal-trial.html .

6a. Made in QGIS using data from “東日本大震災に伴う警 察措置|警察庁Webサ / Police Measures Associated with the Great East Japan Earthquake.” 警察庁 / National Police Agency of Japan, https://www.npa.go.jp/news/other/earthquake2011/keisatsusoti.html .

6b. Made in QGIS using data from “Results for the December 2012 General Election.” Nippon, Nippon News, 30 May 2020, https://www.nippon.com/en/features/h00020/ .

7. Bestor, Theodore C. “Disasters, Natural and Unnatural: Re- flections on March 11, 2011, and Its Aftermath.” The Journal of Asian Studies , vol. 72, no. 4, 2013, pp. 763–82. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43553226 . Accessed 11 Mar. 2023.

8a. Hunchuck, Elise. “2015 – 2017: An Incomplete At- las of Stones.” Elisehunchuck , https://elisehunchuck.com/2015-2017-An-Incomplete-Atlas-of-Stones .

8b. Fackler, Martin. “Tsunami Warnings, Written in Stone.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 20 Apr. 2011, https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/world/asia/21stones.html?pagewanted=al .

Roshan Sivaraman is a sophomore pursuing a Dual Degree in International Relations (BA) and Voice Performance (BM) at Boston University. While their diploma will say “international relations,” Roshan prefers to say that they are particularly interested in human-environment relations, especially in those of Asian cultures. As such, they are currently studying in Singapore, while also working on peatland restoration in Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago. Roshan credits this paper, and the wonderful, warm, and encouraging teachings of their WR120 professor, Professor Ted Fitts, for sparking what will be a lifelong interest in how people interact with nature.

The Great San Francisco Earthquake Essay

Introduction, history of earthquakes in san francisco, situational analysis and probability of an earthquake in the near future, general effects of an earthquake, emergency planning options..

An earthquake is essentially a quiver which resulted by sudden energy release from the earth inner surface. The release of energy causes a ripple of seismic waves that are felt in the form of shaking. The damage caused by an earthquake depends on the magnitude and the length of such earthquake. (U.S. Geological Survey2008, April 22).

The length however depends on the size of the wave since the larger the wave the larger the area affected and consequently the longer the period of time taken. Each year the earth experiences up to half a million-earth quakes of which only 100, 000 can be truly felt. The probability of occurrence of an earthquake depends on the nature of the locality as well as its geology. South California alone experiences up to 10000 earthquakes a year.

Earliest reported earthquake in California was felt in 1769 the worst of them all was the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. There have been severel other smaller earth quakes that have hal minimal impact and even gone unnoticed. Others which have been of a greater impact

Research has predicted that there exsists a 25% probability of an earth quake with a magnitude of up to 7.0 occuring within the next two decades in sanfrancisco. Based on the historical data as well as computer simulations it has been suggested that there is an even more greater chance that an earthquake of an even greatter magnitude will occur in the next 45 years.

The death toll is estimated at a shocking 5,800 deaths if the magnitude is at least 7.0. this means that the value could be higher if the ripple effect is of agreater magnitude(Abercrombie and Brune1994)

Sanfrancisco notably lies on the san andreas fault which is considered the most vulnerable to such earth quakes. The last time such an event occured in 1989 it left 66 dead and 3,757 injured. It only lasted fifteen seconds but the damage to property was indisputably large with the San Francisco Oklahoma Bridge collapsing. This damage went to the tune of 6 billion in property damage. The then United States president George bush issued a 3.45 billion package that was to act as relief for the affected.

The effect could have been even more grave had there been a tsunamic effect. This would have resulted in flooding of the coastal towns sweeping away their homes and destroying their productive farms. The earth quake would damage the regions leeves bearing an effect similar to that of harricane katrina.

The damage would even be worse after the earth quake as the flood water contaminates the fresh water supply that is mainly supplied though an over land aquaduct that would cost even more to repair. It is estimated that at least 24,000 homes were damaged and 100000 left homeless after the floods caused by snow melts hit sanfrancisco back in 1997. Up to 50 leeves were damaged (United States Geological Survey 1999, October 15)

Even more compelling scientists from the United States geological survey suggest that there is a 70 % chance that at least one or more earthquakes with intensity not less than 6.7 will in the next 30 or so years strike San Francisco bay. This is equated to one that occurred in 1994, which left 57 people dead, and others wounded and caused destruction to the tune of $ 20 billion. (Seismological Society of America, 2008, April 17)

Earth quakes are categorized among the top ten most deadly natural disasters. They have the following effects:

  • Shaking and ground rupture -This is the single most probable effect of an earth quake. The intensity of the shaking will depend heavily on the magnitude size as well as the distance from the epicenter. It will also depend on the geology of the area in question. Geological concerns go to the nature of the superficial soils in the subsurface of the earth.
  • Landslides and avalanches -Landslides also bring along volcanic eruptions which may cause serious storms and wild fires. Landslides are specifically dangerous to both the affected and those who make attempts at providing rescue services.
  • Fires – Shaking causes damage to power lines and gas pipe systems which are a remedy to massive fires. The effects of these fires were typically felt in the 1906 San Francisco earth quake. The destruction by fire or any other human motivatied factor such as stampedes accidents and collusions would participate heavily to the increased casualties. These however will depend on the level of awareness of the poplation as well as the preparedness.
  • Soil liquefaction – This is a situation where sand and other granular material owing to the saturation of water temporarily loose strength and dissolve into liquid making the foundations upon which buildings and other rigid structures stand on to become loose causing the building to collapse or tilt. In the Alaskan earth quake the effects of soil liquefaction were immensely felt. This would however e an unlikelyeffect on sanfrancisco due to its geology.
  • Tsunami – Tsunamis are often mistaken for tidal waves that rock the seas due to oceanic currents. The mechanism behind tsunamis is much more different. A tsunami is essentially caused by unusual sudden movement of water volumes in the open sea. The sudden movements could be caused by an earth quake in the submarine soils as well as landslides
  • Floods -Earth quakes that occur in the open sea cause a tsunami effect that leads to seeping of water from the open sea and into the mainland causing floods. Sanfrancisco would be hardly hit by these floods due to its proximity to the sea.In the mainland they cause destruction of dams and water barriers leading to flooding.
  • Human impacts -Earth quakes have a toll on every aspect of human life. They bring along a death toll besides the destruction caused to the infrastructure. They also cause disease owing to lack of necessities. Financially they lead to high claims for compensation besides the relief costs occurred in resettlement (The Virtual Museum of San Francisco, 2011).

Citizen based approach

This a proactive and reactive approach which involves two basic components; Leadership which involves appointment is disaster management managers who will be vetted based on willingness aggression and objectivity and partnership which involves embracing an integrated vision and mission and letting the community be part of the campaign

The approach recommends the cooperation between government agencies and the people living in San Francisco. The government formulates a plan that requires the engagement of the people partially or as a whole. Government departments such as the police accept suggestions and receive volunteers who are trained and licensed as local disaster managers. The people are collectively involved in the

The strategic approach

The approach collects together all available resources and coordinates manages motivates the implementation of the awareness campaign. It encourages the building of an integrated programming system e.g., school based curriculum and emphasizes on capacity building and empowerment

Strategy Implications

The strategy adopted will among other things require the change of policy to accommodate the budgetary concerns of the implementation process. It will also require cooperation from all participants and interested parties including investors and development partners. The partnership will help diversify the information platform and increase the level of awareness. The integration of the measures into the various programs such as the school-based curriculum will require training for the implementers who include teachers and administrators. (Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) 2008)

Way forward

With the objective of a better disaster management system the government should undertake in research to improve the understanding of the earthquake process its likelihood and impact. It should also develop cost efficient ways of combating the effects on individuals as well as improve the level of resilience in the population. There is a lot of information available in the various sources concerning the effects and consequences of an earthquake. Every citizen should develop a need to know to ensure that they make informed decisions in areas such as construction development and investment

Abercrombie, R.E., and J.N. Brune. (1994). Evidence for a constant b-value above magnitude 0 in the southern San Andreas, San Jacinto and San Miguel fault zones and at the Long Valley caldera. California. Geophys . Res. Lett., 21 (15), 1647-1650.

Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC).(2008). Strategic Plan for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Fiscal Years 2009–2013 . Web.

Seismological Society of America. (2008). New Hazard Estimates Could Downplay Earthquake Dangers . ScienceDaily . Web.

The Virtual Museum of San Francisco. (2011). San Francisco Earthquake History 1915-1989 . Web.

U.S. Geological Survey (2008). California Has More Than 99% Chance Of A Big Earthquake WIthin 30 Years, Report Shows . ScienceDaily . Web.

U.S. Geological Survey. (2008). Earthquake Hazard Maps Show How U.S. Shakes With Quakes . ScienceDaily . Web.

United States Geological Survey. (1999). 70 Percent Chance That Large Earthquake Will Strike San Francisco By 2030 . ScienceDaily . Web.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, January 3). The Great San Francisco Earthquake. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-san-francisco-earthquake/

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IvyPanda . 2024. "The Great San Francisco Earthquake." January 3, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-great-san-francisco-earthquake/.

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Bibliography

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The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok

U.s. lawmakers have long worried that the chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. And this is “The Daily.”

[THEME MUSIC]

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban the video app TikTok over concerns that its ties to China pose a national security risk. Last week, they passed a law that might finally do it. Today, my colleague, Sapna Maheshwari, on the secret effort behind the law and what a ban would mean for the company’s 170 million American users.

It’s Tuesday, April 30.

So Sapna, tell me about this law that just passed that potentially bans the social media app TikTok. We’ve seen efforts in the past to rein in TikTok, but this one really seems like the most substantial yet.

It’s a huge deal. What this law really does is it puts the future of this hugely popular app with 170 million American users into question. TikTok has reshaped the way many people listen to music. It’s changed the way we cook. It’s made a whole different kind of celebrity.

But it’s never been able to shake these concerns around the fact that it has really close ties to China. It’s owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. And lawmakers, for years, have been worried that the Chinese government could somehow use ByteDance and TikTok to get information on Americans or possibly spread propaganda.

President Trump tried to ban it in 2020. The State of Montana tried to ban this app last year. TikTok has largely survived those challenges, but this time it could actually be banned in the United States.

So let’s talk about this. Why did this effort succeed where the other ones failed?

So it’s an interesting story.

Here we go.

The committee will come to order.

And it really dates back to this hearing about a year ago that Congress had with Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok.

Mr. Chew, you are here because the American people need the truth about the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security.

Members of the committee, thank you for your time.

— TikTok has repeatedly said that it has addressed these national security concerns and that there’s no issue here. And you can hear that when Shou Chew testified.

Let me start by addressing a few misconceptions about ByteDance of which we are a subsidiary. ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government.

He’s saying American investors are behind ByteDance.

Now, TikTok itself is not available in mainland China. We’re headquartered in Los Angeles and in Singapore.

And I myself am Singaporean. I live in Singapore.

The bottom line is this — American data, stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel.

And we are actually going above and beyond what American technology companies do to keep things safe.

And I look forward to your questions. Thank you very much.

And is Congress convinced by that?

Congress is not convinced by that.

ByteDance is a Chinese company?

Well, ByteDance owns many businesses that operates in China.

Is it or is it not a Chinese company?

Congressman, the way we look at it, it was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs.

No, no, no, no. I’m not asking how you look at it. Fact, is it a Chinese company or not? For example, Dell is a company —

It was this really fiery, five-hour hearing, where Republicans and Democrats asked really contentious questions.

We do not promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government. Will you repeat —

The question is, are you percent certain that they cannot use your company to promote such messages?

It is our commitment to this committee and all our users that we will keep this free from any manipulation by any government.

OK. If you can’t say it 100 percent certain I take that as a no.

There’s this underlying sense of distrust around the company and its ties to China.

I will remind you that making false or misleading statements to Congress is a federal crime.

I understand. Again, you can go on our platform. You will find that content.

And it becomes clear through the hearing that, across the board, Republicans and Democrats largely feel the same way.

Mr. Chew, I got to hand it to you. You’ve actually done something that in the last three to four years has not happened except for the exception of maybe Vladimir Putin. You have unified Republicans and Democrats.

So within weeks of this hearing, this small group of lawmakers gets together. And they say, let’s come up with a law that works where all the other ones have failed and actually make TikTok answer to its Chinese connections once and for all.

So tell me about this small group of lawmakers. Who are they?

So it starts with Republicans. Among them is Steve Scalise, one of the most powerful Republicans in the House. And a small group sort of works together for a few months, but they realize that in order to really make this law work, they’re going to need Democrats. So they end up working through this House Committee that’s focused on China and competition. And this is where the bulk of the work on this bill takes place.

And just to note, this is a really small group. There’s less than 20 key players who are working on this. And all throughout, they are keeping this very, very secret.

And why exactly are they keeping it secret? What’s the point of that?

So this group really wanted to keep this out of the eyes of TikTok, which has a huge lobbying presence in DC, and has successfully worked to kill bills that targeted TikTok in the past. And what they’re really doing is looking at all of the past efforts to either force a sale or a ban of TikTok, and trying to work their way through why those plans didn’t succeed and what they can do differently.

But while the lawmakers are working on this bill, something big happens that kind of changes the politics around it. And that’s October 7.

Your social media feeds are unique to you, but could they be shaping how you view the Israel-Gaza War? The BBC’s —

As the war breaks out and people start getting information about it, a lot of people are getting information about the Israel-Hamas War on TikTok, especially young people.

Social media algorithms seem to be driving some users towards increasingly divisive posts —

And there’s this big messy argument spilling out into living rooms and all over the internet, and, of course on TikTok. And it’s getting very heated. For instance, there’s this moment in the fall where a bunch of TikTok users start sharing this old manifesto.

I read Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America.”

It’s wild, and everyone should read it.

Go read “A Letter to America.” Seriously, go read it.

That was actually written by Osama bin Laden, defending the 9/11 attacks and criticizing the United States’ support of Israel. TikTok users start trying to tie it to the modern day conflict.

Reading this letter, it becomes apparent to me that the actions of 9/11 were all just the buildup of our government failing other nations.

The way this letter is going viral right now is giving me the greatest sense of relief. Now it’s all coming to light because of Palestine.

And there’s these accusations that TikTok may be promoting one side of the conflict over the other. And a couple of researchers look at hashtags around Palestine, and they say that the data they pulled shows that TikTok is showing way more pro-Palestine videos and not so much for Israel. And this sets off huge alarm bells for this small group of lawmakers.

But isn’t that just a function of the fact that TikTok, at this point, is the public square in the United States for young people? I mean, this is what young people were talking about, and this is where they’re doing the talking.

TikTok has pushed back really forcefully against these accusations. They said that Gallup polls show that young people view Israel differently than older generations. They say that they’re not the ones influencing what people post, that the hashtags and the videos are a reflection of the user base and nothing that they’re doing to influence.

But for lawmakers, this doesn’t really make their concerns go away. Instead, this conflict shows them how TikTok could be used to spread propaganda. It made lawmakers feel that TikTok could be really dangerous when it comes to shaping the views of Americans on foreign policy, on US elections. And what it also does is, it provides this driving force to this group that’s drafting this bill. And they suddenly see that this might be a way to bring more people into their effort.

And so heading into November against this backdrop, they even bring in the White House and the Justice Department to help work on this bill. And with the White House, they want to make sure that this is a bill that the president will support. And they work with the Justice Department to shore up the language in the bill to help defend against court challenges.

Because the Justice Department, of course, would be the one that would have to defend the bill, right?

That’s exactly right. And so they’re trying to make it as rock solid as possible so that they can win in court when TikTok challenges this law. And so March rolls around, and they decide that it’s time to unveil this bill that they’ve been working on for close to a year.

The battle over TikTok on Capitol Hill is intensifying.

This morning, House lawmakers have agreed unanimously to move a bill to a full floor vote.

And TikTok is caught completely flat footed. They didn’t see this coming. And this is just what the group wanted. So TikTok has this army of lobbyists that’s suddenly scrambling. And they go into damage control mode. They start reaching out to members of Congress.

This app is so much more than just an app for dumb TikTok dances.

They fly a group of TikTok stars and small businesses to come to DC —

This is a life-changing apps.

— and lobby on the steps of the Capitol and meet with lawmakers.

Standing up here with all these amazing TikTokers behind me is a complete honor, and every single one of them would voice their opinion just like this. This is how we feel. This has to stop.

They set up interviews between these TikTok creators, as they’re known, and big TV shows and news programs. And they’re doing everything they can to fight against this bill before it goes any further. And then they decide to do something unusual, which is use TikTok itself to try and derail this bill.

How exactly do they do that?

So days after this bill is announced, a ton of TikTok users get a message when they open the TikTok app that basically says, call Congress and tell them not to ban TikTok.

Hmm. OK. So like, literally this window comes up and says, call Congress. Here you go.

Exactly. You can enter your zip code, and there’s a button that appears. And you can press it, and the call goes straight to your representative.

So offices are quickly overwhelmed by calls. And TikTok sent out this message to users on the same day that a House committee is going into vote on this bill and whether to move it forward. And so the stunt happens. They go into vote, and they come out, and it’s 50 to 0 in support of the bill.

One of the representatives who worked on the bill said that this stunt by TikTok turned a lot of no’s into yeses and yeses into, quote, “hell yeses.”

[LAUGHS]: so the whole episode sounds like it actually backfired, right? Like, TikTok’s stunt essentially just confirmed what was the deepest fears of lawmakers about this company, that the app could be used to influence American politics.

That’s definitely how a lot of lawmakers viewed it. And when this bill is brought to the full House a week later, it passes by an overwhelming majority. And weeks later, it passes in the Senate as part of a broader aid package. And on Wednesday, it’s signed into law by President Biden.

But now the question is, what does it mean? Like, how will this actually work? And how will it affect the tens of millions of Americans who use TikTok every day?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We’ll be right back.

So Sapna, now that Biden has signed this bill, what does it actually mean in practice for TikTok? What does the law do?

So the law is really trying to push ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, to sell to a non-Chinese owner. And the company basically has nine months for this sale to happen. There’s an option for President Biden to add another three months to that clock. And if the company doesn’t find a buyer or refuses to be sold, it will be banned.

And what would a ban actually mean, Sapna? I mean, people would still have the app on their phones, right? So it wouldn’t disappear overnight.

Yeah, no one’s coming to pick up your phone and to forcibly delete this thing. What the law says is that app stores and web hosting services wouldn’t be allowed to carry TikTok anymore. So basically, it would kind of die a slow death over time, where it wouldn’t be updated and just kind of peter out.

So the bottom line here is that the clock has started on this potential sale, right? They have 12 months to find a buyer. So what are the obstacles here? I mean, it sounds pretty ferociously complicated.

There’s a ton of challenges here. And it’s a very messy choose-your-own adventure. So one of the first big questions is who could buy this?

ByteDance and TikTok are private. We don’t know their financials. But analysts estimate that it will cost tens of billions of dollars. That narrows the buying pool pretty quickly. And a lot of the companies that could afford to buy it, like Meta, the owner of Facebook, or Google, which owns YouTube, would probably be kicked out of the running because they are simply too big. Regulators would say, you already own these big apps. You can’t possibly add this to your stable.

There’d be a monopoly concern there.

Exactly. And then, there’s a lot of questions around how this would work, technically. ByteDance and TikTok are very much global organizations. You have the CEO in Singapore. They have huge operations in Ireland. They have this big workforce in the US. And of course, they do have engineers in China.

So how do you extract all those things, make it all work? It’s a very big international transaction.

And then there is the chance that the Chinese government blocks this sale and says, you cannot do this, ByteDance. We will not allow it.

So Sapna, how does that actually work, though, in terms of China? I mean, can China actually just ban the sale of this company? I mean, it is a private company after all, right?

Well, here’s one way it could work. The Chinese government could block the export of TikTok’s algorithm. And let me explain that in kind of plain English.

They could basically block the technology that fuels the TikTokiness of this app, the recommendations, the magic of it, why you see what you see when you’re looking at TikTok.

TikTokiness, is that an adjective?

That is now an adjective.

[LAUGHS]: Nice.

And there’s a chance that Beijing could say, hey, you can’t export this technology. That is proprietary. And if that happens, that suddenly makes TikTok way, way less valuable.

So the Chinese government could let the sale go through potentially, but as a kind of an empty shell, right? The thing that makes TikTok TikTok, the algorithm, wouldn’t be part of the company. So that probably isn’t very appealing for a potential buyer.

Exactly. And I mean, the role of the Chinese government here is really interesting. I’ve talked to experts who say, well, if the Chinese government interferes to try and block a sale of this app, doesn’t that underscore and prove all the concerns that have been expressed by American lawmakers?

If you’re worried about China being in control of this thing, well, that just confirmed your fears.

Exactly. And I mean, it’s an interesting thing that ByteDance and TikTok have to grapple with.

So bottom line here — selling TikTok is quite complicated, and perhaps not even possible for these reasons that you’re giving, right? I mean, not least of which because the Chinese government might not allow the algorithm to leave the country. And that’s not something that the US Congress has a lot of control over.

So is this law fundamentally just a ban, then?

That’s what TikTok is calling it. Right after this bill was signed into law on Wednesday —

Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice.

— Tiktok’s CEO made a TikTok — what else?— that explained the company’s position.

Because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.

He actually argued that TikTok reflects American values.

TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard. And that’s why so many people have made TikTok part of their daily lives.

And he said that this law infringes on the First Amendment free speech rights of Americans who love it and who use it every day.

The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again.

So it’s very clear that TikTok plans to challenge this law in court. And the court fight to follow will determine the fate of TikTok’s future in the US.

So is that First Amendment argument that the TikTok CEO is making here going to work?

Nobody wants to put money on that. I mean, the company is really approaching this with the idea that the First Amendment rights of Americans are being infringed on. But if you remember, the government has been working on this law. They’ve been anticipating those challenges. And they can justify an infringing of First Amendment rights in certain cases, including with national security concerns. And so it’ll be up to a judge on whether those concerns pass muster and justify this sale and even a potential ban of TikTok.

Got it. So TikTok will argue free speech, First Amendment. And the government will counter by saying, look, this is about China. This is about America’s national security interests.

That’s right. And the legal experts that I’ve spoken with say this is a really big and sticky area of the law, and it’s a huge case. And they really think that this will go to the Supreme Court, regardless of who wins in the first round of this.

So where does that leave the millions of Americans who use TikTok, and many of them, of course, who earn a living on the platform?

I mean, it’s really uncertain what happens now with the company, and the clock has started ticking. When I’ve looked at TikTok and looked at videos from users —

This is about the impending TikTok ban. And it just triggered me so much. It makes my blood boil, and I have to get this out there.

There’s a lot of shock —

The most success I’ve had has been here on TikTok, and now they’re trying to take it away.

This is so stupid!

— and anger.

You can’t ban apps! You can’t ban things from people!

People are confused.

Word on the street is that in the next 9 to 12 months, TikTok could be banned.

And they’re also caught a bit off guard, just because there have been these years of efforts to do something about TikTok. People on the app have been hearing about a TikTok ban, really, since 2020.

The government can take away a literal app on our phones, and we’re supposed to believe we’re free?

A few TikTokers have said, how can this be the thing that the government is pushing through so quickly?

Can we stop funding a genocide? No. Can we get free COVID tests? No. Can we stop killing the planet? No. Can we at least watch videos on an app of people doing fun things and learn about the world around us? No.

So there’s this sense of distrust and disappointment for many people who love this app.

We got rid of TikTok. You’re welcome. Protecting you from China. You know that phone was made in China. Ah!

And I think there’s also this question, too, around what about TikTok makes it so harmful? Even though it has increasingly become a place for news, there’s plenty of people who simply use this app for entertainment. And what they’re seeing out of Washington just doesn’t square with the reality they experience when they pull out their phones.

And I wonder, Sapna, I mean, just kind of stepping back for a second, let’s say this ban on TikTok succeeds. If it goes through, would Americans be better off?

It depends who you ask. For the users who love TikTok, if it actually disappeared, it would be the government taking away a place where maybe they make money, where they get their entertainment, where they figure out what to read or what to cook next. To free speech advocates, this would be dystopian, unheard of for the government to crack down on an app with such wide usage by Americans.

But for the American political class And the National security establishment, this is a necessary move, one that was years in the making, not something that was just come up with on the fly. And ultimately, it all comes down to China and this idea that you can’t have a social media app like this, a source of news like this, that is even at all at risk of being influenced by the Chinese government and our greatest adversaries.

Sapna, thank you.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Monday, in its latest high-profile showdown with pro-Palestinian protesters, Columbia University gave students until 2:00 PM to clear out from an encampment at the center of campus or face suspension. It appeared to be an effort to remove the encampment without relying on New York City Police, whose removal of a previous encampment there two weeks ago inspired similar protests on campuses across the country.

Free Palestine!

Hi, this is Sharon Otterman reporting for “The New York Times.”

00 PM deadline for protesters to clear out of the encampment at the center of Columbia University has come and gone, and there’s still quite a large contingent inside the encampment.

But Monday’s warning seemed only to galvanize the Columbia protesters and their supporters.

And hundreds of students and others from around the campus have come out to support them. They are currently walking around in a picket around the encampment.

Hundreds of students, standing for or five people deep, encircled the encampment in a show of solidarity. They were joined by members of the Columbia faculty.

There’s also dozens of faculty members, who are prepared to stand in lines in front of the main entrance to the encampment, in case Public Safety or the NYPD move in. But as of 2:00, there was no sign of that happening.

Then, on Monday evening, Columbia announced it had begun to suspend students who had failed to leave the encampment. It was unclear exactly how many students had been suspended.

[PRO-PALESTINE CHANTING]:

Today’s episode was produced by Will Reid, Rachelle Banja, and Rob Szypko. It was edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sharon Otterman.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

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  • May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
  • April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
  • April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
  • April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
  • April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
  • April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
  • April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
  • April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
  • April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
  • April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
  • April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
  • April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Sapna Maheshwari

Produced by Will Reid ,  Rachelle Bonja and Rob Szypko

Edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban TikTok, concerned that the video app’s links to China pose a national security risk.

Sapna Maheshwari, a technology reporter for The Times, explains the behind-the-scenes push to rein in TikTok and discusses what a ban could mean for the app’s 170 million users in the United States.

On today’s episode

earthquake topic essay

Sapna Maheshwari , who covers TikTok, technology and emerging media companies for The New York Times.

With the U.S. Capitol building in the background, a group of people holding up signs are gathered on a lawn.

Background reading

A tiny group of lawmakers huddled in private about a year ago, aiming to bulletproof a bill that could ban TikTok.

The TikTok law faces court challenges, a shortage of qualified buyers and Beijing’s hostility .

Love, hate or fear it, TikTok has changed America .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Sharon Otterman .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Sapna Maheshwari reports on TikTok, technology and emerging media companies. She has been a business reporter for more than a decade. Contact her at [email protected] . More about Sapna Maheshwari

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NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

earthquake topic essay

A senior business editor at National Public Radio has resigned after writing an essay for an online news site published last week accusing the outlet of a liberal bias in its coverage.

In a Wednesday post on X , Uri Berliner included a statement in what he said was his resignation letter to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in the post. "I don't support calls to defund NPR. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

On Friday, Berliner was suspended for five days without pay, NPR confirmed Tuesday , a week after his essay in the Free Press, an online news publication, where he argued the network had "lost America's trust" and allowed a "liberal bent" to influence its coverage, causing the outlet to steadily lose credibility with audiences.

Berliner's essay also angered many of his colleagues and exposed Maher, who started as NPR's CEO in March, to a string of attacks from conservatives over her past social media posts.

Dig deeper: NPR suspends senior editor Uri Berliner after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

NPR reported that the essay reignited the criticism that many prominent conservatives have long leveled against NPR and prompted newsroom leadership to implement monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage.

Neither NPR nor Maher have not yet publicly responded to Berliner's resignation, but Maher refuted his claims in a statement Monday to NPR.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," Maher said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY.

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