Two earthquakes compared.

California

Iran

Here is your key question – write it on your worksheet.

How can similar earthquakes in Iran and USA have verydifferent impacts on the people who live there?

Make your own fact file using the information that you willsee on the next few slides. Then prepare an answer to the

key question.

video

Location: Bam in IraqLocation: Bam in Iran

Date: 26 December, 2003

Strength of earthquake on the Richter scale: 6.6

Number dead: 25,000

Location: California in USA

Date: 22 December, 2003

Strength of earthquake on the Richter scale: 6.5 Number dead: 3

Known as the “San Simeon earthquake”

Here are some other reasons why the earthquake in Iran was so devastating:

• The houses in Iran were poorly built. They were made from mud brick which collapsed straight away.

• When mud brick collapses it disintegrates.

• This leaves less air pockets, which might have allowed some people to survive, even though they were trapped.

Here are some reasons why the Californian earthquake had less of an impact.

• Three lives lost due to the collapse of a historic clock tower, sometimes called the Acorn Building. It was made of wood and un-reinforced masonry.

• Within 12 hours, search and rescue crews found all the quake's victims.

• About 75,000 homes and businesses lost power after the quake, but service was restored to all soon after.

• Minor damage to buildings could be repaired due to payments from insurance companies.

• The Bam earthquake resulted from the movement of three plates: the Arabian plate, the Asian plate and ‘the central Iranian block’.

• A sudden movement along the Iranian block similar to the processes that occur along the San Andreas Fault was to blame.

The Citadel after the 2003 earthquake

The Citadel before the earthquake struck

These are like the mud brick buildings that collapsed in Bam

Buildings like this in a rich country might topple, but theydon’t crumble. What would be your chance of survival in

this situation?

• The time of day when the earthquake happened ...

• In Bam, it happened at 5 o’clock on a Friday morning. Friday is the Muslim day of rest.

• Where do you think most people were, and why did they die?

Things to consider:

Other things to consider:

Shake out

Lesson summary

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Write 2 aspects of the lesson you enjoyed

And 3 things you have learnt during the lesson