The most dangerous earthquake occurred in Afghanistan
Why In News ?
- Recently, more than 2000 people have died and more than 9,000 have been injured in the powerful earthquake that occurred in Afghanistan.
- According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake, which occurred 35 km northwest of Herat city, had a magnitude of 6.3. The intensity of other earthquakes was 6.3, 5.9 and 5.5.
What is earthquake?
- In simple words, earthquake means vibration of the earth. This is a natural phenomenon, in which waves are generated due to the release of energy from inside the earth, which spread in all directions and cause the earth to vibrate.
- The waves generated by earthquake are called seismic waves, which move on the earth’s surface and are measured by ‘seismographs’.
- The place below the earth’s surface where the epicenter of an earthquake is located is called hypocenter and the place above the earth’s surface where seismic waves reach first is called epicenter.
- Earthquake events are measured either by the magnitude or intensity of the shaking. The magnitude scale is known as the Richter scale. Magnitude is related to the energy generated during an earthquake. Magnitude is expressed in absolute numbers, 0-10.
- The intensity scale is named after Mercelli, an Italian seismologist. The intensity scale takes into account the visual damage caused by the event. The intensity scale ranges from 1-12.
About Elpide Belt:
- The Alpide Belt extends for 15,000 km, roughly following the boundary of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates.
- It extends from the Middle East to the Himalayas and Indonesia.
- It extends from the Himalayas in the east, through the Mediterranean region to the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Tectonic plates are structures in the Earth’s crust that move slowly, often creating pressure and friction between each other.
Distribution of earthquakes on Earth:
- The world’s largest earthquake belt, the Trans-Pacific Seismic Belt, is found along the Pacific Ocean, where about 81% of our planet’s largest earthquakes occur. It is also known as the “Ring of Fire”.
- The second major belt, the Alpine-Himalayan Belt (Mid-Continental Belt), extends from Europe to Sumatra across the Himalayas, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
- The third major belt is in the submerged Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A ridge is an area where two tectonic plates extend apart. Much of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is deep underwater and far from human interference.
Brief on Afghanistan’s deadliest earthquake in years:
- Powerful earthquakes have killed more than 2,000 people and injured more than 9,000 in Afghanistan, in the deadliest tremors in years in the earthquake-prone country.
- Afghanistan is earthquake-prone, as it is located in the mountainous Hindukush region, which is part of the Alpide belt.
- The Alpide Belt is the second most seismically active region in the world, after the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- Additionally, the Earth’s crust is particularly vibrant in Afghanistan, as it is where the Arabian, Indian, and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
- The boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates exists near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan.
Source – The Hindu
