Tuesday, February 7, 2023

On Earthquakes and Buildings


On  Sunday, we were told a storm named Barbara was on its way  from Greece to Israel, and will hit us on Monday morning.   In the meantime, at middnight, a deadly earthquake occurred in Turkey and was felt in the whole region: Syria, Lebanon. Cyprus, Israel. 

On Monday, at about midday, a second quake struck. Thousands of casualties in Turkey and Syria. Countries are offering to send teams with humanitarian aid, but the wintry weather is not cooperating with the search and rescue efforts. Terrible  tragedy!

Turkey has had her share of earthquakes in the past, and has learned important lessons from them, yet every new quake is  surprising and devastating.

One thing is for sure, we israelis, are not prepared at all  should a major quake strike closer to us. There's a lot of talk about strenghtening existing buildings. Some of it has already been done here and there.  New buildings are checked, before approval,  for specially designed features that will make them earthquake proof  buildings. So they say. I don't know how seriously things are done, if at all.

There's ,of course, no complete immunity to these buildings, given the unpredictability of intensity and ocurrence of the earthquakes, but it's the best we can do to bring damage and loss of life to a bare minimum.

Anyway, things look quite scary.


50 comments:



  1. It is so sad! All those people in the cold, so much death family members.

    The province of Groningen in the Netherlands has experienced several small to moderate earthquakes in recent years. The earthquakes have been linked to the extraction of natural gas from underground gas fields in the region. These earthquakes have caused damage to buildings and homes, and have led to concerns about the safety of the local population. In response, the Dutch government has taken steps to reduce the extraction of gas in the area, and to reinforce and repair buildings that have been damaged by earthquakes.

    The earthquakes in the Netherlands, particularly in Groningen, have been relatively small in comparison to some of the more devastating earthquakes in other parts of the world, such as Turkey and Syria.

    Israel is located in a region with a moderate risk of earthquakes and experiences occasional seismic activity. So I hope the construction industry will work closely with engineers and seismologists to ensure that new buildings are built to withstand earthquakes in your area. And that they retrofit older buildings to bring them up to current safety standards.

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    1. Entire families are being burried. So terribly sad!
      The earthquakes in the Groningen province might indeed have something to do with extensive work of gas extraction from the soil. Perhaps too much construction upon land also stirs earthquakes; who knows.

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  2. It sure does look like a mess. Horrible to see the devastation.

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    1. ''Horrible', 'devastation' , 'terrible' - are mild words to describe the situation. In fact, no words can describe what happened in Turkey and Syria.

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  3. Praying for you all. I heard it also affected Israel. Did you feel it?

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    1. It was felt in Israel too, in the northern part. I was asleep and felt nothing. Thanks for the prayers, Sandi.

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    2. Agreeing with all the prayers and so glad you are safe. 💛

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    3. Thanks for your prayers and always good wishes, Shayndel.

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  4. It was truly terrible - I don't think anyone is ever prepared for anything so horrific.
    I am new - do you live in Israel?
    I would love to visit there.
    I pray you are safe.

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    1. Right - no one is ever prepared for such horror. Israel, where I live, is also in the same region with Turkey and Syria. People felt the tremors, and got scared, but, thank God, there was no damage of any kind.
      Thans for your prayers, Chatty.

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  5. And the death toll keeps rising. Scary indeed!

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    1. Indeed. We have sent a team of some over 100 people; part of them have put up a field hospital, and survivors are brought there to be taken care of. The other part are searching for survivors under the ruins to rescue them.

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  6. Such a horrific tragedy. So glad to hear you are safee. Praying for the lost souls and those suffering. The devastarion is mind blowing.

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    1. Yes, mind blowing, and yes, we should keep praying for the survivors and for those waiting to be rescued. The cold weather is making things worse.

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  7. It's sn enormous tragedy, whole neighborhoods buried and just accessing the area to start rescue operations is difficulty. Teams from all over the world on their way, but the scope of this quake, on top of what Syrians in particular were already suffering, is hard to comprehend from outside.
    I'm glad you're safe, Duta.

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    1. Nature disasters are not new, but are more frequent and more intensive now. Perhaps we do bad things to the earth - excessive building on it, excessive oil and gas extractions from beneath it. Hard to tell.

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  8. It's a terrible tragedy, really too much to comprehend. I'm thankful you are safe.

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    1. In fact, the whole thing is incomprehensible, unimaginable. Our mind cannot grasp the event and its consequences.

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  9. It was such a shock to hear the news of the earthquake. It is kind of weird and rather insignificant, but right around when it happen (I live in the heartland of the states and we have fault lines too but have rarely ever had and shifts here) but I was at the library and something just fell off the shelf that had been there for months. I didn't think too much of it. And then a few minutes later, books fell off the Hold Shelf behind the circulation counter. When I got home, I asked my hubby if there were any earthquakes on the news, it wasn't until a little while later we heard the devastating news. I grew up in the hill country of Texas, but it would not have been the hill country if there hadn't been the Llano Uplift which probably happened back in the dinosaur days. It was as if the land was turned upside down and granite and quarts is very significant there. It was an interesting place to study Earth science. Not only do we have to worry about climate change but the shifts of the plates of earth, too. Hope you are safe and far from the storms. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Of course, a blog I visit with so many great Turkish recipes I hope they are OK:

    https://breadvesalt.blogspot.com/

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    1. You're right. Not only do we have to worry about climate change, but also about the moving of the tectonic plates of the earth. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, Ellie.

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  10. Horrific and terribly sad...I'm glad you are safe and well.

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    1. Thanks for your thinking of my safety. The damages and loss of life were in two countries: Turkey and Syria, at the border between them.

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  11. So devastating to hear about the loss of life with these earthquakes. Here in Michigan USA we do not have these types of earthquakes bit we have our air share of tornadoes. One never knows where these will hit either. I hope you will be safe. Janice

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    1. True, Janice. One never knows where and when Nature's disasters are going to hit. May God protect us from tornadoes and earthquakes!

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  12. Prayers for the earthquake victims

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    1. Prayers are much needed at this time. Thanks.

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  13. It is a terribly tragedy and the devastating news increases as the death toll rises. On the news this evening they showed pictures of children being pulled from the rubble and my eyes filled with tears. Canada is sending aid, as are many other countries around the world. We live on a fault that is earthquake susceptible. Construction has strict guidelines in case "the big one" hits, but one can't foresee all circumstances. I pray for the people in Turkey and Syria and for the rescue teams that are working so very hard. May God have mercy.

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    1. We, humans, are helpless when facing Nature's 'fury". We cannot prevent it, but we can improve our preparedness for the various disasters that can occur, including earthquakes.That should be on any country's agenda.

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  14. So devastating those two earthquakes, hard to describe in words how I feels about such a disaster.
    Earthquakes buildings, well I don't know how that would help exactly but it must help a bit if one should enter into ones area.

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    1. Every thing about buildings and land could help. There's now even a special engineering branch dealing with earthquakes

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  15. Such a terrible tragedy to occur when the weather is so uncooperative. I live in California and we have our share of earthquakes. They are awful, scary and at times as we have seen devastating. All we can do is try to prepare and pray for the best in these situations. I hope that you never have to worry about one Duta.

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    1. I've heard about Caifornia's history of quakes and fires. As you say, all we can do is pray and try to be prepared as best as we can. (we're quite limited; we can't foresee the timing and intensity of disasters).
      Thanks for your wish in your last sentence.

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  16. So terrible. Praying.
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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    1. Words fail to describe the disaster. May God help with all that is needed!

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  17. So sad and scary. Whatever precautions taken, still natural disasters are so unpredictable. May God have mercy and humanitarian aid will reach them as soon as possible.

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    1. Precautions versus ubpredictability makes it all difficult , almost impossible. However, there are things that could and should be done to improve preparedness, if (big IF) corruption doesn't interfere.

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  18. I just read about the earthquakes earlier this morning, Duta, and I can understand youyr concerns. Disasters seem to happen despite preparedness methods.

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    1. Sadly, disasters happen and will happen. If only we could foresee their intensity, and find efficient ways to save lives!!

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  19. The earthquake is tragic. Last I heard, over 20,000 dead and they are quite certain that number will soar as excavations happen. We're not in an earthquake zone here, but as we learned last summer, tornadoes wreak their own havoc.

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    1. Nature's rules seem to have changed. No one knows what to expect any more. As individuals, we can do very little, if at all. The Land and the Buildings are in the hands of corrupted politicians (building permits) and greedy companies (oil and gas extractions).

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  20. I am not sure about reducing the impact of earth quakes by improving building engineering and architecture. But I am certain about saving lives, once the alarms have gone off with rock solid shelters with mattresses and blankets, sniffer dogs in every city, more rescuers and casualty doctors, and tinned food and drinks. School children should do drills every year.

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    1. I totally agree with your view of improving rescue means: shelters with necessary equipment and food, rescuers and doctors, children's education on the matter.

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  21. This earthquake was horrifying.
    Many countries are sending aid and people to help with the aftermath, but this will take a very long time and must not be forgotten.

    My prayers are for all those affected by this disastrous event.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Yes. I'm in a gloomy mood since last Monday. It could happen anywhere, at any time. We're helpless, and not well prepared to face such disasters.

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  22. Very sad news...and we hear the fatalities increasing by the day.
    If buildings are strictly regulated to be built as per seismic zonal regulations, the destructions definitely will be minimized if not totally avoided. Haphazard development and redevelopment and abuse of structure leads to worsening the catastrophes.
    Just praying for the affected families.

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    1. 'Abuse' is the right word here - abuse of structure, abuse of land. This leads to disasters. We have the same abuse in Israel, and we live in fear of what may lie ahead.

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  23. Está demostrado que las construcciones anti-seísmo son muy eficaces, como sucedió en Japón, que prácticamente nadie murió por el terrible terremoto que sufrieron, y el número alto de fallecidos fueron por el tsunami.
    Van pasando los días y el número de muertos desgraciadamente aumentan de forma considerable.
    El Gobierno está deteniendo a gran cantidad de arquitectos, que no cumplieron con las medidas anti-sísmicas que existen en ese país. pero, ahora también se sabe que preferían pagar una multa, porque les salía más barato que aplicar las medidas, para seguir construyendo...Y digo yo, ¿que había que hacer con esas autoridades y políticos, que cobrando esas multas les permitía seguir construyendo?...¡ Una vergüenza todo, allá donde se mires.! ¡y tan sin vergüenza son los unos como los otros!.
    Un abrazo, estimada amiga Duta.

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    1. I'm afraid, Manuel, here in Israel, we have the same corruption of authorities - shameless, criminal corruption! May God help us!

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  24. What has occurred in Turkey and Syria is beyond heartbreaking. There are not enough words to describe the heartache...the loss...the sorrow...the devastation. I don't know how people will recover from what has occurred....It is so, so very sad.

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    1. Hi, Lee. I agree with every word in your comment - the event was beyond hearbreaking and very sad.

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