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Impacts

The impacts of an earthquake will vary depending on:

• The strength of the earthquake on the Richter scale.
• Level of development - whether it occurs in a rich advanced country (AC) or a low-income developing country (LIDC). Richer countries will be more likely to be able to predict, protect and prepare for the impacts of an earthquake.
• The depth of the focus - if it is shallow the impacts will be more destructive.
• Distance from epicentre - the effects of an earthquake are usually most severe nearest to its epicentre.
• Population density - the more people living in an area, the more likely it is deaths and casualties will occur.
• The time of day - if people are in their homes, at work or travelling, earthquake impacts are worse.

Responses

Responses are how countries react to an earthquake. They can be categorised as:

• Short-term or immediate - a response in the days and weeks immediately after a disaster has happened. Short-term responses mainly involve search and rescue and helping the injured with medical aid, then providing emergency shelter, food and water.
• Long-term - responses that go on for months and years after a disaster. They involve rebuilding destroyed infrastructure, eg roads, houses, power and water supplies, schools and hospitals. They also involve 'kick-starting' the local economy.

Communities can prepare for earthquakes, eg Japan has a 'National Earthquake Training Day' each year. California in the USA has 'The Big Shake' training day each year.