First i decided to look up places of common earthquake activity and did this by browsing a couple of sites below.
Because i wanted to know the facts of common places i did decide to look at a variety of different sites just to make sure that the countries with high earthquake activity was correct, despite knowing already knowing from my own personal knowledge of places where earthquakes occur frequently.
The site like below in particular helped me to understand specifically the earthquake activity through the plates which determined the places of high earthquake activity.
Where it stated:
"Around 75% of the world's seismic energy is released at the edge of the Pacific, where the thinner Pacific plate is forced beneath thicker continental crust along 'subduction zones'. This 40,000 km band of seismicity stretches up the west coasts of South and Central America and from the Northern USA to Alaska, the Aleutians, Japan, China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australasia.
Around 15% of the total seismic energy is released where the Eurasian and African plates are colliding, forming a band of seismicity which stretches from Burma, westwards to the Himalayas to the Caucasus and the Mediterranean."
This information is more from a scientific point of view from the common places of earthquake activity rather than personal knowledge from others, so its helped me to understand fully specific plates within the earths crust that have higher activity of earthquakes than others and the pure statistics of this. This is something i will incorporate into my iBook in this chapter using my own words.
Afterwards i then began doing some research in people who practice earthquake drills due to occasional earthquake activity in certain areas where its more common. These sites helped to give good knowledge of places where people practice drills and after gathering some of the information and transforming it in my own words i then was able to personally add the benefits of practicing drills in places like schools, as it helps to educate children at a young age of what to do in the situation when an earthquake occurs.
Also there is an organisation called the 'shakeout' which is a worldwide organisation that deals with planning and practicing drills. This organisation is a great way to help people in all kinds of situations like work, schools etc and be able to prepare and understand what to do in the situation and to make people prepared when an earthquake really does occur.
Afterwards i began researching into safety tips into before/during/after and earthquake occurs and this is all the information i gathered through the use of bullet points from many sites where i looked for this content.
Before Earthquake
- Fasten shelves Place heavy objects on lower shelves in order prevent breakage and potential injury.
- Place breakable items (bottles, glass, china etc) in closed cabinets that are lockable.
- Hang items (pictures, mirrors) away from beds and seating areas)
- Repair any existing large cracks in the walls or foundations
- Brace Lighting fixtures
- Locate safe places indoors
- Bolt to walls anything that might topple, like top-heavy shelves, appliances, and furniture. Don't hang heavy picture frames or mirrors over the bed. Don't hang plants in heavy pots that could swing free of hooks.
- Strap your water heater to wall studs with metal plumbing tape to prevent broken pipes and fires.
- Locate switches and shutoff valves for all utilities and know how to turn them off.
- Have supplies on hand: a flashlight; a portable radio with fresh batteries; a first-aid kit; a fire extinguisher, a three-day supply of fresh water; non-perishable, ready-to-eat foods; and an adjustable wrench for turning off gas and water.
- Develop an emergency communications plan in case family members are separated
During Earthquake
- Stay calm and stay put.
- If indoors, DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building, under a desk or heavy table, cover your head and neck and hold on until shaking stops.
- Stay away from windows or brick masonry (like fireplaces), bookcases, china cabinets, and mirrors.
- If outdoors, stay away from buildings, trees, and power lines.
- If driving, move away from overpasses, stop slowly in a safe area, and stay in your vehicle. Stay off bridges. Listen to the radio.
- If in a high-rise building, stay in the building, on the same
floor. Get under a desk and stay away from outside walls and windows. Do not
use the elevator.
After Earthquake
- Check for injuries and apply necessary first aid.
- Wear sturdy shoes to protect your feet from broken glass.
- Check gas, water, electrical lines, and appliances for damage. If you smell gas or see a broken line, shut off the main valve. Do not switch on the gas or electricity again until the power company checks your home. Do not light matches, use any open flames, or turn on electrical switches or appliances until you are certain that there are no gas leaks.
- Check to see that sewage lines are intact before you use the toilet. Plug bathtub and sink drains to prevent sewage backup.
- Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline, and other flammable liquids.
- Check for building damage and potential safety hazards- like cracks around chimneys or foundations.
- Be prepared for aftershocks, which can further damage weakened structures.
- Listen to the radio for public-safety instructions.
- Do not use the telephone except in an emergency.
- Stay out of damaged buildings
- Help injured or trapped persons within the limits of your abilities
- Check utilities for damage. If you smell gas, turn off the gas and do not use electrical devices (including telephones). Stay away from broken electrical wires, and turn off the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If water pipes are damaged, do not use the toilet and avoid tap water for drinking. Use your emergency supply, and melt ice cubes for additional water.
This content from these sites has helped me to build a list of things to do before/during/after an earthquake and i feel like this information will be very beneficial to my overall iBook and can help to create a quiz afterwards and some interactivity through this, which will make the user feel more involved with the iBook.
After doing a ton of research into tips for being safe for earthquakes I then went onto researching about buildings that withstand earthquakes which are called earthquake resistant structures. Below are a range of sites I went onto to gather information about this topic.
I found out that the ways in which people find out how to structure earthquake resistant building structure or any other type of structure like bridges a lot of scientists and engineers conduct a ton of experimentation as well as looking into old structures that haven't been able to withstand earthquakes in order for them to learn from their mistakes and be able to refine and design better structures that can withstand these earthquakes.
I also looked into a few videos which convey buildings that aren't structured and another that is and the impact that it has on both of them, especially on the building that doesn't have a great earthquake proof structure. This is present through a video with a stack of tables representing buildings. I migh include this video in my iBook as i feel its a great visual way of seeing the outcomes of having and not having earthquake resistant structures.
Video:
Link below:
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