Protection of the population from the effects of the earthquake. Elimination of the consequences of the earthquake

For some reason, mankind believes that it conquered nature, but this is only an illusion. First, people know more about space than about the world's oceans. Secondly, natural disasters still can not be scientists predicted in advance. There are terrible consequences of earthquakes. Photos from the disaster sites fly around the world every few years. It's terrifying how much a person is worthless before nature.

Earthquakes - causes and essence

We are used to the fact that the soil under your feet is something immobile and unshakable, but it is not so. Tectonic plates located in the earth's crust are in constant motion, collide, diverge, creep onto each other and rub. In addition, the mining of minerals in the bowels of the planet, explosions, collapses, the filling of reservoirs and many other artificial processes can also provoke major earthquakes. In fact, they are underground tremors and occur quite often - about once every 2 weeks.

However, most of them are on the ocean floor and have not too much power, so they are almost invisible. But if the epicenter is located close enough to the surface and populated areas, and the intensity is high, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Predictions of seismologists

Protection of the population from the effects of an earthquake begins with the prediction of its probability and the calculation of the time when it occurs. Here one can not do without the achievements of seismology, which managed to develop some methods of predicting earth tremors of sufficient strength to affect people's lives.

The earthquake itself is preceded by some processes in the lithosphere, which can be traced and analyzed, what this science does. There are special instruments - seismographs, which record the motion of tectonic plates. Their assistance in predicting strong earthquakes is priceless, because they provide an opportunity to prepare for the disaster, win several hours, so that you can begin evacuation and warn the population of the danger, which will reduce the number of victims.

The most seismically dangerous areas

Places where earthquakes occur are most often known, this is understandable from the reasons for their occurrence. These are joints of tectonic plates, which on the surface can look like young high mountains, for example, the Himalayas, the Andes, the Cordilleras. In addition, there is a fault in the Far East, it runs from Kamchatka along Japan and extends further - to the islands of Indonesia and New Zealand. From Greece to the southeast also leaves the border of the plates, which carries a potential danger. And all this is not just curious knowledge. This allows you to build cities, large buildings, etc., taking into account such important information. And not only to apply special technologies, but also constantly be on the alert, be ready to cope with the elements. And this is not always easy, because protecting the population from the effects of the earthquake should be comprehensive. In the end, much depends on the magnitude of the disaster.

Effects

If we take into account only strong and large earthquakes, on their example the damage is obvious. Shifting parts of the earth's crust in different directions provokes damage and destruction of buildings, roads and other objects. This can cause injuries and death. That is why, first of all immediately after the disaster, all the forces of the rescuers are directed to such an event as the protection of the population from the consequences of the earthquake.

The main striking factors for this type of emergency are seismic waves of various types:

• Hypocentric longitudinal. Spread from the hearth in all directions with alternate formation of compression and stretching zones. The displacement of the ground occurs along the direction of the waves. The speed is about 8 km / s.
• Hypocenteral transverse. They also propagate in all directions at a speed of 5 km / s and formation of shear zones. The ground is displaced perpendicular to the direction.
• The waves of Rayleigh and Love. Distributed from the epicenter in the upper layer of the earth's crust. There is a displacement in the vertical and horizontal direction perpendicular to the waves. The speed is from 0.5 to 2 km / s.

In addition, the consequences of earthquakes for a person depend on the terrain in which they occur. They may be accompanied by avalanches, mudflows, floods, etc., depending on which natural and man-made objects have suffered damage. Finally, the number of victims is also affected by the actions of the population in an earthquake. If people know how to behave correctly, they will not only survive themselves, but they will help the others.

Qualitative characteristics

Naturally, the magnitude and intensity of the impact also have significance. Accordingly, the Richter scale and several scoring systems used in different countries are used, respectively. In Russia there are 12 levels:

• 1 point. It is registered only with the help of special devices.
• 2 points. Can be felt by sensitive animals and people on the last floors of high-rise buildings.
• 3 points. It is felt inside some buildings. Vibration is comparable to driving in a truck.
• 4 points. It is felt by many people, there can be a fluctuation of doors and windows.
• 5 points. Minor damage: wiggling of hanging objects, shedding whitewash, rattling of glasses.
• 6 points. There may be small cracks in the plaster, masonry.
• 7 points. Characterized by severe damage to buildings, the appearance of cracks in moist soils.
• 8 points. Serious damage to buildings, the destruction of their elements.
• 9 points. Collapses in some buildings and landslides.
• 10 points. Destruction of many buildings. Cracks in the ground up to 1 meter wide.
• 11 points. Complete destruction of all buildings, numerous faults in the ground.
• 12 points. Catastrophic fractures and changes in the lithosphere. Deviations in the course of rivers.

Obviously, with an intensity of about 4-5 points or less, protecting the population from the effects of earthquakes is not required, since they are minimal. Nevertheless, it is still worth knowing how to deal with disasters of this kind.

What to do?

Now, when the causes and consequences of earthquakes have become clear, it is worth talking about how to behave if the earth literally leaves from under the feet.

First of all, you need to try to pull yourself together and calm down - you need to act reasonably and soberly, not succumbing to panic. If the disaster caught on the street, you need to find a place away from buildings and power lines. If the shocks began during a stay in any room, the actions of the population in an earthquake depend on what kind of structure it is. It is better to leave the 2-3-storey house as quickly as possible, otherwise, if time permits, you need to open the door, which then can jam, and then find a shelter. A good place near the capital wall away from the windows, it is often an excellent option will be a table under which you can hide, or a bath. The main thing is to stay away from unattached heavy objects, windows, etc. Of course, if it is a question of transport, when jerking occurs, it must be immediately left.

Following actions

First of all, protecting the population from the consequences of the earthquake consists in its emergency evacuation and the beginning of work to save those who may be under the rubble. It must be remembered that tremors can be repeated, aggravating destruction or causing new ones.

The main tasks of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, like any other rescue service, in such a disaster are to protect people. Rescuers provide first aid, direct evacuation, clear rubble. This applies not only to earthquakes, but also to any other emergency situations.

Preventive action

A significant role is played by measures that are taken before the earthquake. This includes not only funding the government for the research and work of seismologists, but also the construction of special buildings, dams, and protective structures.

It is highly recommended that people living in the danger zone have a supply of food, water and medicines at home, to study the housing in advance for the most suitable place for shelter, and also to organize the opportunity in any conditions, including in the absence of electricity, to receive information, for example through Radio receiver battery. Also it is worthwhile to make sure that all furniture, especially heavy furniture, is in a stable condition. It should be remembered that the protection of the population from the effects of the earthquake primarily depends on the people themselves and their willingness to act quickly and correctly. So it will not be superfluous to conduct training events and trainings from time to time.

Major earthquakes in recent years

In the 21st century, there are 7 devastating disasters associated with the movement of tectonic plates. All of them were powerful enough and intense, had a significant magnitude and caused many thousands of victims and victims:

• 26.12.2003, Iran. The magnitude is 6.3. The death toll is estimated at 50-60 thousand people.
• 12/26/2004, Indian Ocean. Magnitude - 9.3. About 200-250 thousand victims.
• 12.05.2008, China, the province of Sichuan. The magnitude is 8.0. Up to 70 thousand dead.
• 12.01.2010, Haiti. Magnitude - 7.0. About 220 thousand people died, 300 thousand more were injured, more than 1 million lost their housing and property.
• 27.02.2010, Chile. The magnitude is 8.8. Accompanied by the tsunami. Less than 1,000 died, about 1.5 million homes were damaged.
• 11.03.2011, Japan. The magnitude is 9.0. Killed less than 15 thousand people, about the same number went missing. The earthquake was accompanied by severe destruction, tsunami.
• 25-26/04/2015, Nepal. Magnitude - 4,2-7,8. A series of earthquakes, which killed about 5 thousand, 7 more wounded.

Not always the number of victims directly depends on the scale of the disaster. Often, reasonable actions of the population during the earthquake can save many lives. That is why informing people about how to behave in emergency situations should be permanent and complete. The main tasks of EMERCOM of Russia also include this point, but earthquakes in the territory of the Russian Federation are quite rare. Perhaps neglecting this duty can one day cost a lot of sacrifices.