Gempa Bumi: Memahami Penyebab, Dampak, dan Langkah-langkah Persiapan

Study Notes

Earthquakes: Understanding Causes, Impacts, and Preparation Measures

Causes

Tectonic Plates

Earthquakes originate from movements in the Earth's lithosphere, specifically the boundary between two tectonic plates, creating a shift along the fault lines. There are three main types of faults: divergent, convergent, and transform. Each type contributes to different types of earthquakes.

Movement of Plates

The tectonic plates move slowly, causing stress along fault lines. When the pressure becomes too high, the plates release the stress in the form of seismic waves known as earthquakes. This natural process occurs mostly in regions such as the circum-Pacific belt along the rim of the Pacific Ocean, the Alpide belt extending from southern Eurasia to Java, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge running along the Atlantic Ocean floor.

Other Causes

Earthquakes can also result from volcanic activity, mining operations, and the disposal of wastewater associated with oil production into underground wells called hydraulic fracturing or "fracking".

Tsunamis

Tsunamis are large ocean waves generated by earthquakes, particularly those occurring under or near the sea surface. They are caused by horizontal displacement of water due to earthquake movements. When the movement causes the water to move upward, a tsunami is created.

Effects

The effects of an earthquake depend on several factors including its magnitude, intensity and duration, local geology, time of occurrence, building design, and risk management measures. An earthquake can lead to ground shaking, soil liquefaction, landslides, fissures, avalanches, fires, and tsunamis. The extent of damage varies greatly, but earthquakes can cause immediate trauma-related deaths and injuries, medium-term risks like secondary infection of wounds and increased morbidity related to chronic diseases, as well as long-lasting psychological impacts.

Preparedness and Response

To mitigate the impact of earthquakes, countries worldwide implement various strategies. These include strengthening health emergency risk management systems, regulating building practices and land-use controls, ensuring resilient healthcare facilities that can continue functioning after a quake, mobilizing medical response teams, and promoting community preparedness.

Measuring Scales

There are two primary scales used to measure earthquakes: the Richter scale and the moment magnitude scale (MMS). The Richter scale measures the amplitude of seismic waves while the MMS determines the total amount of energy released during an earthquake, making it more relevant for larger quakes. Both scales are logarithmic, meaning each whole number increase represents a tenfold increase in amplitude or energy.

Description

Pelajari penyebab gempa bumi, dampaknya, serta langkah-langkah persiapan untuk mengurangi kerugian. Mengetahui tentang lempeng tektonik, pergerakan lempeng, penyebab lain gempa bumi seperti aktivitas gunung berapi, serta pengukuran skala gempa bumi.