EARTHQUAKE IN GUJARAT
It was an
EARTHQUAKE measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale on Friday 26th January 2001 at 08:46
local time. The
earthquake occurred in north-western India. The epicenter was close to the small desert town of Bhuj in the north-western state of Gujarat.
TURKISH
It was an earthquake measuring 6.8 - 7.0 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the earthquake was near the industrial city of Izmit, about 55 miles east of Istanbul, Turkey. The earthquake occurred on Tuesday 17th August at 3.02 a.m. local time (12 am GMT). The earthquake lasted 45 seconds.
Earthquakes in California
California lies on the conservative margin where the Pacific Plate slides alongside the North American Plate (timeline of movement). As a result it is susceptible to earthquakes. The 1906 Earthquake almost destroyed San Francisco. Later, in 1989 an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale hit San Francisco.
The Kobe Earthquake
At 05.46 on 17th January 1995 an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck the heavily populated city of Kobe, Japan. The earthquake occurred along the destructive plate boundary where the Pacific and the Philippine Plate (oceanic) meet the Eurasian (continental) plate.
Many freeways and buildings were destroyed, despite the strict building regulations, and 5000 were killed. Fires spread as a result of broken gas mains. 250,000 people were left homeless.