Seismic activity can be rare or common in an earthquake zone. Government agencies use data to divide countries into different zones, identifying areas at risk. High activity zones are often located along fault zones, which can cause soil liquefaction and building collapse. Stricter building codes and emergency services are required in high-risk areas.
An earthquake zone is a region where the rate of seismic activity remains fairly consistent. This can mean that seismic activity is incredibly rare or that it is extremely common. Some people often use the term “seismic zone” to talk about an area with an increased risk of seismic activity, while others prefer to talk about “seismic risk areas” when referring to areas where seismic activity is more frequent.
Many countries have government agencies interested in seismic activity. These agencies use the data they collect on seismic activity to divide the nation into various earthquake zones. Different zoning systems are used, from number zones to colored zones, with each number or color representing a different level of seismic activity. In the United States, for example, seismic zones are divided between one and five, with zone five being the most at risk of seismic activity.
Most of the high activity seismic zones are located along the so-called fault zones – regions of the earth’s crust subject to seismic activity. Fault zones often occur where continental plates meet, but can also be found around volcanoes. A major fault zone in North America, far from plate boundaries, is caused by a huge bubble of magma under the Earth’s crust that periodically bubbles up in an explosive volcanic eruption.
By dividing a country into different seismic zones, a nation can identify areas at greatest risk. These areas may have stricter building codes that are designed to make them safer in the event of an earthquake, and emergency services in a high-risk earthquake area may be required to have special earthquake training and frequent drills to practice responding to earthquakes. an earthquake. Insurance companies also usually raise their rates in a high-activity seismic area.
One of the biggest risks other than the basic shaking of an earthquake to people in a high seismic activity area is liquefaction. Soil liquefaction occurs when loose sediments become suspended in water due to seismic activity pushing up the water table. When soil liquefaction occurs, the ground is no longer able to support the weight of buildings, highways and other structures, leading to collapse. Underground power lines can be disrupted in the process, resulting in potentially explosive gas leaks and widespread contamination with wastewater. In areas of high activity that are also prone to liquefaction, an earthquake can be extremely dangerous.
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