An earthquake measuring instrument is a seismograph or seismometer. This tool is said to be not a tool to predict when an earthquake will come. Until now there is no single tool capable of predicting earthquakes in detail.
Prediction may still be done by following the history of earthquakes that have existed in the past. Various efforts have been made to provide accurate information about when and where an earthquake will occur.
How it Works
Seismometer is a tool to determine the earthquake sensor. While the recordings obtained from this tool are stored in a tool called a seismogram.
Now there are even more powerful tools. The tool can even detect earthquake vibrations in the frequency range, the tool is called a broadband seismometer.
How about a device that displays a thick, thin, long graph like a bearing with a needle that continuously records earthquake vibrations?
This device is called a seismograph. The recording of earthquake vibrations was made in the form of a seismogram. This seismograph is often seen on television when an earthquake occurs. This tool is so sensitive that officers can determine the strength of the earthquake's vibration.
By knowing the strength of the earthquake, officers can give directions whether residents in the area affected by the earthquake should evacuate immediately or not. Especially when the earthquake occurs near the coast.
Very strong earthquake vibrations can cause tsunami waves. Hopefully with more sophisticated technology, the signs of an earthquake can be felt long before the actual earthquake occurs.
Earthquake Strength and Consequences
The strength of this earthquake is usually indicated by the size of the Richter scale. Meanwhile, to show its intensity and its effect on the land, buildings, and people living at the earthquake site, the Mercalli scale is used.
The Richter scale itself is well known by the public, especially those who live in earthquake-prone areas. For example, if the earthquake was only 3.5 on the Richter scale, it means that not many people would feel the earthquake. It may not even be felt at all.
Yogyakarta (Indonesia) children can even estimate how strong the earthquake they felt. Usually their estimates are not wrong. This can happen because they feel earthquakes too often, both tectonic and volcanic.
If the strength of the earthquake has reached 3.5-5.4 SR, it means that the earthquake has been felt and has even caused damage that may be quite fatal. The strength of an earthquake that is more than 6 SR, can cause a tsunami.
The damage caused by this earthquake will be more severe if the earthquake occurs in an environment with buildings that are not designed to withstand earthquakes. There may also be casualties. When the earthquake in Yogyakarta occurred in 2006, Yogyakarta residents were not used to earthquake-resistant buildings.
The result is indeed very fatal, thousands of lives lost due to collapsing buildings. Magnificent multi-story buildings were not spared from this earthquake.
Since that incident, the people of Yogyakarta have become very aware of what they have to do and they have started to study the characteristics of an earthquake and how to know how to anticipate the damage that might be caused by the earthquake itself.
Many Yogyakarta people know the quality of the building just from examining the walls and the shape of the building. They get this knowledge from the frequent exhibitions of building materials and earthquake-resistant building designs.
What the people of Yogyakarta have done in dealing with disasters, especially earthquakes, can be imitated. Awareness is growing very quickly and education about this earthquake continues to be encouraged.
Does the Earth Move Due to an Earthquake?
What about the phenomenon of the ground movement that occurred in Cigintung Village, RT. 01-08 RW. 08, Cimuncang Village, Malausma District, Majalengka Regency?
Is there a connection between the moving ground and the earthquake? May be. Moreover, it seems that the fault seems to be creeping, so that the displacement starts from 50 cm, 1.6 m to 18 meters.
Logically, the shift could have been caused by an earthquake. An earthquake that occurs due to a shift in the earth's plates can certainly make the soil above it unstable.
Moreover, in the 1930s, this land shift actually occurred and the population fled. However, because they felt it was safe, one by one they returned to the land that did look very fertile. The result was quite extraordinary, 1500 people had to be evacuated.
PVMBG's Head of Earthquake and Land Movement Mitigation, I Gede Suantika, explained that the shift was widening. Surono, a seismic expert said that the shifting land was not suitable as a place to live. That is, the people of Kampung Cigintung RT. 01-08 RW. 08, had to leave his village forever.
However, will the residents feel at home in their new place? Is there a guarantee that they will not return to a more comfortable place of origin? Hopefully they understand that their safety is far more important than having to live in unrest throughout life.
Earthquake Benefits
Don't just see earthquakes as a problem. Many seismologists make things related to earthquakes their charity field. In addition, there is news that is enough to make the eyes widen.
From a journal that discusses earthquakes, the March 17, 2013 edition of the journal Nature Geoscience, it states that earthquakes can make water flows containing gold lift to the surface.
This news, of course, made many people start to have high hopes for changes in the water content in the earthquake area. What this means is that if the color of the water or rocks in the river near the epicenter of the earthquake begins to change, it is possible that the rocks or soil already contain gold.
As long as you are not greedy in mining, this gold content can of course be used as funds for the construction of the destroyed building.
Good management of course must be done carefully and cannot be mined traditionally, thus harming many people and the environment. Excessive use of mercury or mercury in the process of obtaining gold can have a very fatal impact on humans and the nature around them.
Hopefully this news does not make people become 'fierce' in looking for the possibility of gold in the earthquake area.
More Sophisticated Earthquake Measurement Tools
Tools to find out when an earthquake will occur are continuously being sought to be found as soon as possible. Many depend on scientists investing their time in this humanity. Various efforts include making 3-dimensional data that is able to trace cracks and changes in soil in an area after an earthquake.
Until now the earthquake can not be predicted accurately. Unlike the forecast for rain and wind movement, as well as other weather conditions. This earthquake is still a mystery.
Estimates of an earthquake may be analyzed more thoroughly, but still cannot predict when it will occur. Humans must always try their best. Let God decide what will happen. Hopefully the information about earthquakes and earthquake measuring instruments is useful and adds to your insight.