2007-01-24 05:06:29 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The one's built on the fault lines...
2007-01-24 05:09:42 · answer #1 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Earthquake prone areas...sorry, I couldn't resist.
It depends what you mean by at greatest risk. If you mean, where is one most likely to occur, that would be on an active tectonic plate. These can move in different directions. If they are moving away from each other, or next to each other in opposite directions, pressure builds up, and it releases and causes an earthquake. If they are moving towards each other, they hit with pressure, and that's how mountains form. This doesn't mean that mountainous areas are earthquake prone, it just means that they were at some point, but the plates have away form many mountain ranges, although I know that they are still active in the Himalayas.
However, if you meant which areas would be the most susceptible to earthquake related damage, that's a little harder to answer. It goes two ways, damage is more likely to occur in an area where earthquakes happen frequently, such as San Francisco, however, the buildings there are designed to withstand the forces of an earthquake. So you could also say that an area would be more damaged if an earthquake occurred where they usually don't. While this is very rare, and when it does happen, the earthquakes are usually very small, should a major one occur in an area like New York City, the damage would be humongous, because the buildings there are not designed to be earthquake proof.
2007-01-24 05:15:44 · answer #2 · answered by lazerybyl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically an earthquake should only occur along a faultline or techtonic plate. however theoretically an earthquake can happen almost anywhere as scientists only know of plates which have created earthquakes in the past - for example there are a number of, whats deemed, fairly insignificant faults on the crust of the earth underneath the North Sea. They are only insignificant because little has occured from them in recent history - however it doesnt mean it is impossible...
2007-01-24 05:18:41 · answer #3 · answered by shaun8701 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scientist predicted the earthqake at Izmir in Turkey and showed that quakes move along fault lines. The next place at risk is Istanbul. If that happens it will be devastating as most of the buildings there would not survive. On a similar line, there is a supervolcano in the US that could cause world wide trouble if it goes bang! Then there are the near Earth objects that could hit us. Oh happy days!
2007-01-24 05:15:07 · answer #4 · answered by Reg Tedious 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
South west America, Indonesia are prone to high profile quakes. How ever could happen anywhere that is on a fault line. But some are more active than others.
Mombai for example is built over 10 fault line but you don't hear much of quakes there.
2007-01-24 05:12:41 · answer #5 · answered by cwiltshire 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The areas that prone to earthquakes are the `Fault lines`. America is the most famous one (I think) it destroyed San Frans co in 1904.
2007-01-25 07:21:10 · answer #6 · answered by CLIVE C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the greatest risk to earthquakes are were the tectonic plates come together.
western usa
japan
central asia
north atlantic
2007-01-24 05:12:32 · answer #7 · answered by willygromit 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live in Turkey,the biggest part of it is at that risk and thousands of people have died in earthquakes so far.
2007-01-27 12:13:05 · answer #8 · answered by edd 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the news lately i would say Indonesia or those built on fault lines
2007-01-24 05:36:03 · answer #9 · answered by flower 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
New Guinea, Sumatra and java area have lots of quakes.
2007-01-24 05:10:49 · answer #10 · answered by Spiny Norman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋