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ARE EARTHQUAKES SAFER THAN VOLCANOES( to live by)?
I only know the earthquake part of it. I'll give you information about them, but you'll have to go elsewhere to learn about volcanoes. Wait!!! I can help you make up half your mind, by using information like this:
Earthquakes are created by seismic waves. The mechanical properties of the rocks that seismic waves travel through quickly organize the waves into two types. Waves, known as primary or P waves travel fastest, at speeds between 1.5 and 8 kilometers per second in the Earth's crust. Shear waves, also known as S waves, travel more slowly, than P waves, but are the most dangerous. The waves the closest to the surface cause the most damage, because they are more intense to the surface.
This happens because a slip of a fault. The fault that slipped causes the plates to push together or move apart, starting an earthquake.
Many earthquakes happen on land, but a majority of all earthquakes happen in the sea. In fact, most earthquakes are teeny, tiny ones that you ordinarily can't feel. Just because you can't feel most earthquakes doesn't mean you won't be in an enormous one.
A few states are known for quakes. California, for instance, is a big state, and has a HUGE population, with tourist attractions everywhere and many theme parks, but is a main earthquake target. Many, many earthquakes happen in CA., some are not pretty. But people still live there, taking a risk. Sometimes if Calif. shakes, Nevada shakes with it.
Seattle, Washington and Olympia, Wash. have been shaken before. Just recently , in early 2001, Seattle had an earthquake. It killed eight people, caused a landslide, and made a fire break out. Also in Seattle, 30 people were in an attraction when the quake happened. They were stuck until someone rescued them.
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