BY Mayowa Tijani
Earth tremors were recorded in Sambang Dagi in Jaba local government area of Kaduna state on Sunday and early Monday morning, leaving scores of people displaced.
Nasir el-Rufai, governor of the state, said the national geological agency had been notified and invited to investigate the tremors and provide appropriate guidance.
While the report of the agency, here are a few things to know about tragedies such as this.
EARTHQUAKE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS TREMOR
According to Herman Van Nierkerk, a professor of Geology from the University of Johannesburg, there is a difference between both, especially as it concerns the way we define it.
“The big difference is the way that we define it. A tremor is earthquake waves that are formed due to human activities, for instance, mine collapse,” Nierkerk said after a tremor in South Africa.
“While an earthquake produces earthquake waves due to natural processes; you know, when the tectonic plates actually move on the surface of the earth, which is what drives geology.”
Tremors and earthquake are usually used interchangeably, but a tremor is an earthquake of lower intensity.
TREMOR CAUSED BY STRESS ON ROCKS
Tremors are recorded as a result of stress on the rock plane of the earth crust, causing a necessary adjustment, which then drives a shift in the rocks beneath the surface of the earth.
Asked why tremors are experienced, the professor said: “The crust of the earth, on which we are actually standing, is under stress at the moment, and what happens with earthquakes (tremor) like this is that, the rock tries to move because they are under stress, and eventually, when they do move, the stress is being released. We have to ask ourselves what is causing this stress.”
Examples of such stress-causing activities are mining, drilling, digging, and constructing an heavy building.
Tremors have been noted to occur in core commercial areas, while earthquakes occur virtually anywhere, especially in places with high seismic activities.
SHOULD KADUNA EXPECT AN EARTHQUAKE?
Earthquakes and tremors are closely related, and the occurrence of one may lead to the other. But more often than not, the occurrence of a naturally-driven earthquake leads to a tremor.
Tremors do not necessarily lead to earthquakes. So Kaduna should not expect an earthquake but prepare for more tremors if the rocks have not let go of all its stress.
THINGS TO DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE OR TREMOR
According to Ready, a US emergency preparation agency, the following should be done during a tremor or earthquake:
If you are inside a building:
If getting safely to the floor to take cover won’t be possible:
If you are in bed when you feel the shaking:
If you are outside when you feel the shaking:
If you are in a moving vehicle when you feel the shaking:
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