Earthquakes and tsunamis seem to have become far more frequent now than they were forty to fifty years ago. In one day I counted 58 earthquakes ranging from 1.9 to 5.4 on the Richter scale magnitude, according to this website. There are around 500,000 earthquakes in a year now, of which 100,000 can be felt. An earthquake registering between 6.0 and 6.9 would be considered fairly major. 7.0 and above would be considered serious causing a larger area of damage. The largest earthquake till now was the 1960 Chile earthquake which measured 9.5 and caused much devastation. In the 1990 to 1999 worldwide earthquakes, there have been 6 earthquakes of the magnitude of 8 to 9.9 and 147 earthquakes of 7 to 7.9 magnitude; from 1981-1990 there were 44 earthquakes worldwide; from 1971 to 1980 there were 34 earthquakes worldwide; from 1961 to 1970 there were 26 earthquakes worldwide and from 1950 to 1960 there were 12 earthquakes totally worldwide. These are the record of earthquakes with a significant magnitude. In the last decade from 2000 to 2012 there have been 17 earthquakes of the magnitude of 8.0 to 9.9; 178 earthquakes of 7.0 to 7.9 magnitude and 1848 earthquakes of 6.0 to 6.9 magnitude. These statistics are from this website.
The earth has in its outer shell a number of rigid tectonic plates that slowly move against each other. This geological aspect of the earth provides the conditions for an earthquake as these plates move against each other especially at the boundary of these plates. There has never been an earthquake measuring 10.0 on the Richter scale but such an earthquake can cause damage to the earth's outer shell crust. You can simulate an earthquake by clicking here.
A tsunami is a series of sea waves caused by an underwater earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. Tsunamis are not tidal waves. It is possible though rarely for a tsunami to be caused by a giant meteor impacting the ocean. The series of waves are like a train of waves and those who have heard a tsunami say that it sounds like a freight train. Tsunamis can be unnoticeable at less than a foot high on the ocean's surface and travel up to speeds of 800 km/h and cross an entire ocean in less than a day. Once the tsunami reaches the shallow water of the coast it slows down, the top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise as much as 100 ft. at times. The tsunami waves can be as long as 100 km and an hour apart. Flooding can reach land 1000 ft. from the coastline and the dangerous waves have enough force to lift giant boulders, flip vehicles and demolish houses. In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that is thought to have had the energy of 23,000 atomic bombs and the earthquake that caused it was 9.0 in magnitude. Within hours of the earthquake killer waves radiating from the epicenter slammed into the coastline of 11 countries, damaging countries from east Africa to Thailand. The devastation was phenomenal and the toll was 2,83,000 human lives. In the last century till 2012 there have been 27 tsunamis. Scientists can estimate the time when a tsunami will arrive based on calculations using the depth of the water, distances from one place to another and the time that the earthquake or any other cause that occurred. Previously no tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean and it did not have an international warning system in this area which perhaps has now been rectified.
The Lord Jesus Christ warned of earthquakes and famines in Matthew 24:7 as part of the signs of the end of times calling them the 'beginning of sorrows'. In Revelations 16:17-21 there is mention of an exceeding great earthquake that divides the city into three parts and its devastation is felt globally. All this was written 2000 years ago and is now coming to pass. We can be alert and be prepared with faith in our hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.....Maranatha!
The earth has in its outer shell a number of rigid tectonic plates that slowly move against each other. This geological aspect of the earth provides the conditions for an earthquake as these plates move against each other especially at the boundary of these plates. There has never been an earthquake measuring 10.0 on the Richter scale but such an earthquake can cause damage to the earth's outer shell crust. You can simulate an earthquake by clicking here.
A tsunami is a series of sea waves caused by an underwater earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. Tsunamis are not tidal waves. It is possible though rarely for a tsunami to be caused by a giant meteor impacting the ocean. The series of waves are like a train of waves and those who have heard a tsunami say that it sounds like a freight train. Tsunamis can be unnoticeable at less than a foot high on the ocean's surface and travel up to speeds of 800 km/h and cross an entire ocean in less than a day. Once the tsunami reaches the shallow water of the coast it slows down, the top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise as much as 100 ft. at times. The tsunami waves can be as long as 100 km and an hour apart. Flooding can reach land 1000 ft. from the coastline and the dangerous waves have enough force to lift giant boulders, flip vehicles and demolish houses. In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake that is thought to have had the energy of 23,000 atomic bombs and the earthquake that caused it was 9.0 in magnitude. Within hours of the earthquake killer waves radiating from the epicenter slammed into the coastline of 11 countries, damaging countries from east Africa to Thailand. The devastation was phenomenal and the toll was 2,83,000 human lives. In the last century till 2012 there have been 27 tsunamis. Scientists can estimate the time when a tsunami will arrive based on calculations using the depth of the water, distances from one place to another and the time that the earthquake or any other cause that occurred. Previously no tsunami occurred in the Indian Ocean and it did not have an international warning system in this area which perhaps has now been rectified.
The Lord Jesus Christ warned of earthquakes and famines in Matthew 24:7 as part of the signs of the end of times calling them the 'beginning of sorrows'. In Revelations 16:17-21 there is mention of an exceeding great earthquake that divides the city into three parts and its devastation is felt globally. All this was written 2000 years ago and is now coming to pass. We can be alert and be prepared with faith in our hearts for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.....Maranatha!
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