Why are there earthquakes?

Quakes and earthquakes have not been completely understood yet, but the basic concept as follows: We live on the earth's crust, pieces of solid land (called tectonic plates) which remain solid because of an ongoing cooling process. Underneath the crust, which is between 10 and 50 km deep, the planet is composed of a liquid mix of minerals moving at variable speeds.

In short, we are floating around our planet's core.

Floating on the tectonic plates as we are, no matter how tight they fit, this cool surface we call land (and scientists, crust) which is subject to movement. The motion of the plates sometimes leaves enough space for sudden landslides. These fast landslides result in what we call earthquakes.

Summing up, quakes can be caused by:

+ Volcanic eruptions, which are fast movements of magma, + Landslides caused by mining explosions or the like; or, + Collisions between tectonic plates, which are usually the most destructive.

Continue with... what to do in case of an earthquake?

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