Plates are a massive, irregularly shaped slabs of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere. Earthquakes occur when convection currents in the mantle causes plates to move. When the plates converge/diverge/slide past each other, their movement is not smooth. This causes stress to build up in the rocks, and when the stress is suddenly released when the rocks snap or are displaced along a fault, there will be tremors or vibrations in the Earth's crust (an earthquake). These earthquakes can occur both on land and in the ocean. The extent of damage caused by an earthquake depends on various factors. If the place where an earthquake occurs is not densely populated, the residents know what to do in the event of an earthquake, and if earthquake has been predicted in advance so the residents have evacuated the area, then the damage caused will be minimized.A typical Indonesian fishing village is located in a coastal area. The houses are mainly made of wood and there is very simple technology. Wires might be exposed and buildings constructed out of flimsy material. Most people would leave early in the morning and return late at night, as they would be out fishing in the sea. The population would be small but dense because the residents would probably tend to live in close proximity. There will not be much contact with the outside world and the boats there offer crude and limited transport. There will not be much safety measures in place in the event of an earthquake. The population will not be highly educated so they might not know what to do when there is an earthquake.When an earthquake occurs in a fishing village, the primary effect of the earthquake will be the displacement of land. The population of the fishing village, although small, is quite concentrated, so there will be greater loss of lives and property if the epicentre is near the fishing village. As the fishing village is near a coastal area, there might be tsunamis (big and destructive waves). This would cause the houses to collapse as they are only made out of wood, instead of material strong enough to withstand an earthquake or a tsunami. If some exposed wires come into contact with the water, they might short out and cause a fire that will spread easily due to the wooden houses. The rubble from the houses and the fires might kill people. However, there might be fewer casualties on land, as the people are out fishing. On the other hand, as they are out at sea, there will probably be many people killed by the tsunamis. The flimsy boats will not be able to withstand the waves. There is limited contact with the outside world: the village is probably not linked up to the other parts of Indonesia. This will hamper rescue efforts because it will be harder for the rescuers to get to the fishing village. Communications may be interrupted by damage to existing roads, bridges or telephone lines, so they may not be able to contact the outside world. The population is not highly educated so they will not know what to do to minimise the damage caused, so more lives and property may be lost. Damage to roads also makes it harder to rescue people.All of the above will result in many people being killed and a greater loss of property. In order to minimise the damage caused by earthquakes in the fishing village, we should educate the people about how to respond if there is an earthquake. This could help to minimise the lives and property lost.
