earthquakes
Tectonic plate collisions
Earthquakes is the plural of earthquake—a sudden shaking of the ground caused by shifting tectonic plates or volcanic activity.
The term extends to any major upheaval: political earthquakes, earthquakes in the financial markets.
California experiences frequent earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault.
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
- faultImperfection or blame
- epicenterPoint above seismic origin
- magnitudeSize or scale
- aftershockSmaller quake following larger
seismograph · tectonic · Richter · shockwave · foreshock · rupture · seismology · subduction
Sudden structural failure
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- casualtiesThose killed or wounded
- damageHarm or impairment
debris · ruins · buildings · infrastructure · leveled · flattened · crumbled · pancaked
Removal from danger
- rescueSave from harm
- survivorsThose still alive after
- shelterProtected place or structure
- emergencySerious sudden danger
relief · aid · reconstruction · recovery · first responders · search teams · humanitarian · FEMA
Northern California metropolis
- LisbonPortugal's largest city
- KobeJapanese port city
- HaitiCaribbean island nation
- ChileSlender Andean coastal nation
Nepal · Sichuan · Fukushima · Mexico City · Christchurch · Sumatra · Kashmir · Gujarat
Greek sea deity
- omenProphetic indicator
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
- folkloreInherited cultural narratives
- catfishBarbeled freshwater bottom-feeder
punishment · gods · superstition · prophecy · apocalypse · end times · divine · wrath
tremor
Involuntary rhythmic shaking
aftershock · seismograph · tectonic · Richter · shockwave · foreshock · rupture · seismology · subduction · liquefaction
collapse
Sudden structural failure
- rubbleBroken building fragments
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- casualtiesThose killed or wounded
damage · debris · ruins · buildings · infrastructure · leveled · flattened · crumbled · pancaked · structural failure
evacuation
Removal from danger
emergency · relief · aid · reconstruction · recovery · first responders · search teams · humanitarian · FEMA · Red Cross
San Francisco
Northern California metropolis
Chile · Nepal · Sichuan · Fukushima · Mexico City · Christchurch · Sumatra · Kashmir · Gujarat · Alaska
Poseidon
Greek sea deity
catfish · punishment · gods · superstition · prophecy · apocalypse · end times · divine · wrath · legend
- earth scienceatmosphere, geology, volcano, crust, eruption
- earthquakesepicenter, magnitude, tremor, aftershock, aftershocks
- Natural Processesphotosynthesis, decomposition, evaporation, erosion, carbon cycle
- Physical Sciencesphysics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, meteorology
- catastrophesdisasters, disaster, natural disasters, catastrophe, apocalypse
- American geologyGrand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountains, Appalachians, Sierra Nevada
earthquakesstillness
Complete lack of motion
solid ground · terra firma · stability · bedrock · quiescence
earthquakesvolcanic eruptions
Explosive magma discharge from peaks
hurricanes · tsunamis · floods · tornadoes · wildfires
- earthquake zoneRegion of frequent tremors
- earthquake drillPreparedness exercise for temblors
- earthquake recoveryRestoration after ground shaking
- earthquake damageHarm from ground shaking
- earthquake riskLikelihood of ground tremors
- earthquake reliefAssistance following tectonic disaster