Earthquakes can be classified as foreshocks, mainshocks, and aftershocks. Aftershocks are seismic activity that occurs after a mainshock event, and they can be dangerous due to structural damage. Recovery from aftershocks can take years, and earthquakes far from tectonic plates may take longer to recover from. Aftershocks can be emotionally and physically challenging for those affected.
When an earthquake strikes, it could fall into three different classifications. Some earthquakes are foreshocks and are usually smaller earthquakes that occur in roughly the same area as a larger earthquake will occur later. Others are the big event or a mainshock, which will be the largest earthquake to occur. After this large earthquake, smaller, but still dangerous ones may follow, and these are called aftershocks.
A more specific definition of an aftershock is that it is seismic activity that represents the readjustment of earth along a fault line after a mainshock event. Such earthquakes will happen close to the mainshock, as will foreshocks, and could occur for some time after a mainshock event. Usually the greatest danger of another earthquake of relatively large magnitude compared to the main shock is during the first few days. This danger can exist for several reasons.
With a large major earthquake, especially in a well-populated area, there can be structural damage to many different things. A high-magnitude aftershock could pose a considerable risk because it could complete structural damage to some things. It could cause buildings to collapse, gas lines to burst, or other serious problems. Greatly increases the chance of more people losing property or getting injured. The combined effect of a large mainshock and an only slightly smaller aftershock is sometimes devastating.
One thing that can confuse people is when an aftershock has a greater magnitude than a mainshock. When this is the case, the entire series of earthquakes affecting an area must be reclassified. Suddenly the aftershock is no longer “after” and becomes the mainshock. The main shock is moved to the forecast shock state. It may take a while to go through a series of earthquakes and determine which was central and which were fore and aftershocks.
It has often been noted that recovery from shock of any kind takes time. This is especially true for aftershocks, which can continue to occur many years after a mainshock has occurred. It has recently been suggested that an earthquake’s distance from the tectonic plates may determine how the earth reacts afterward. If an earthquake was far away from the tectonic plates, the amount of time to recover from it could take much longer. For example, some earthquakes occurring today in the Midwestern United States are thought to be aftershocks from those that occurred in the early 19th century. The earth seems to have a long memory in this theory.
For people who have just experienced a larger earthquake, the possibility of experiencing an aftershock should be considered. If a dwelling is unsafe, it should be abandoned until it is cleaned up, or if some things appear to be untidy, it is recommended that they be cleaned quickly. Such times can be hard to bear and are made more frightening by the potential for more earthquakes. Just as the earth recovers through these constant tremors, many people may find themselves longing for recovery time as well; aftershocks can be both an emotional metaphor and a physical expression of the earth.
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