Why one cant predict the eathquakes?
403621
In a nutshell, their is no way to predict earthquakes because there are little to no warnings signs. For example in California, This is a transform fault where two plates are sliding past each other... Eventually the stress builds up so much that it moves a lot at one time.. This is what causes Earth Quakes there, and when they happen they are devastating... We just cant tell when the stress is so much that an earthquake is going to happen.. It is not possible and probably will never be.
856700
The tectonic plates were already broken before oil was drilled, it has always been that way since the earth cooled. Oil drilling is not the reason earthquakes exist.
1092524
That has absolutely no sense at all...\n\nHow do you think the Rocky Mountains and the Andes were formed but by millions of years of earthquakes????\n\nWas it hot then?\n\nOf course not! Some of them occured during the glacial era. No SUVs then!\n\nStop listening to stupid people such as Greenpiss!!!
210575
actually yes they've been talking about this a lot recently in light of the last big tsunami. There's an island that's pretty much just a volcano (forget the name but you could find it easily) that the next time it erupts, it will lose some of it's mass into the ocean and cause a tsunami headed towards the East coast. AS far as the west coast goes, any tsunami generated here would be the sliding of the tectonic plates offshore. so if we have a heavy earthquake out there, the west coast would be hit.
1049212
Because San Fran is on a major fault line. That basically means that the ground below the streets isn't set properly so it fragments easily to make the Earth subside, and the Earthquakes to occur. I don't know why its like it in the 1st place though?
962089
No.Tsunamis occur usally after there is an earthquake of a 7.0 maginitude under the ocean, for most tsunamis to occur the fault or the earthquake has to be under water and has to go up a reasonable mount of feet. Then it sends a wave which passes through a boey system and then that notifiys a the people on land.\nSince earthquakes are impossible to predict Tsunamis are too and that points also how often they occur. Not all earthquakes cause tsunamis, and if you heard of land one, it is most probaly it caused a underwater land slide or an out of water land slide which then crashes into the sea depending how big it is it will make anything to 1,000 foot wave.
542255
Eathquakes' intensities are generally measured on the Richter Scale which is a type of logarithmic scale. This scale is not linear and every successive whole number (1,2,3,4...) is 10 times its preceding whole number.\nThus a 7.0 earthquake will be 10 times in magnitude to a 6.0 one. And 8.0 would be 100 times 6.0
436530
Have you ever heard the expression, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket"?  The same idea applies here.\n\nThere are any number of natural disasters that could destroy our way of life (meteor strike, multiple massive volcanic eruptions, a global plague, a nearby supernova), and they are virtually undetectable until immediately before they occur - even if we do detect them, the likelihood of preventing them is only a likelihood, not a certainty.
731200
Very pertinent.  If you live on the Pacific Ocean, you can check the two tsunami information web sites below.  Besides current warnings they have lots of information on tsunami and earthquakes in general.  That said, tsunami prediction is very imprecise.  In my town, Crescent City, California, we had a tsunami last week as a result of the earthquake north of Japan.  The prediction center had issued an "all clear", then later rescinded it.  At the predicted time, a small wave of only a few inches occurred, but two hours later a six foot wave caused nearly one million dollars damage to the harbor.\n\nA major problem with tsunami prediction is that many big waves are caused by underwater landslides, events that may not require a large quake to happen.  Additionally, local factors can have a great effect, increasing or decreasing the size of waves.\n\nIf you are in a tsunami zone and you feel the earth move, IMMEDIATELY move to the highest ground possible, preferably on foot as often roads become clogged.  Even if a quake is close at hand you may have several minutes to get away.  Often people have hours to prepare, and after our experience the other day I will always just assume the worst.  The Tsunami Warning Center is on my "favorites" list in my browser, but after the events of last week my faith has been shaken.
556034
You obviously have no concept of the energy involved in even a simple thunderstorm. Short of multiple thermo-nuclear bombs, there is no feasible way to deliver the energy necessary to match even a strong tropical depression. Oh, and then there is the problem of controlling the result. \n\nUntil scientists can predict the weather accurately, there is no way they can control it.\n\nAs to Tsunami's, these are not a weather event but rather the result of a earthquake. In the realm of large energy releases, this type of event makes the biggest hurricane seems like a hiccup.
845607
I'v heard about buildings being put on ball bearings so that the building will remain stable while the earth rocks beneith it. I'v seen a few specials on the Discovery Channel about it. Apparently the technology was pioneered in Japan. It makes sense since Japan has A LOT of earthquakes.
660044
if you are talking about the geological subject, them im thinking its a ticking time bomb that will errupt into something catastrophic one day. it could be far far into the future but we really need to consider the potential damage. At the same time it will be forming new land (though that takes a while) and the plates will probably start causing more and more serious earthquakes in places that have never felt them before, therefore noone will really no what to do.. in short, were all doomed. Seriously, i hope not, but its kinda like when people build condos on the beach, ur taking an awfully big risk of natures fury to take it out like a toothpick. but theres not much anyone can do other than advise against it if they see potential activity
628507
lol. there is absolutley no way. Tsunamis are usually triggered by earthquakes. and as of now or possibly ever, we wont be able to predict earthquakes. Tsunamis arent diseases you care reduce the risk of by washing your hands or eating apples. it is a force of nature. not even less global warming like with hurricanes can cure tsunamis. NO POSSIBLE WAY. just move away from the coast is your best shot if you are very araid. but they rarely happen.
950622
the tectonic plates that shift happen  underground, if your lucky to see a plate shift at ground level your truly lucky, these plate shifts cause earthquakes so please be careful.
517283
That is the BIG question!  When will it happen?  No one knows and there are only guesses.  Some believe it will not happen as a one big one because the Bible foretells us that it one hundred pound rocks will fall from the sky.  Scientist say we are past due for a big one to hit because the earth was hit so many millions of years ago. \n\nI do not think sitting around and worrying about it will be a productive and worthy of our attention.  When it happens it will happen.  The chance of it happening in our life-time (compared to the millions of years since the last one) is so small that it is not worth computing.  \n\nWe have plenty of people being dooms-day prophets, we need to be more optimistic and looking for how we can improve each others lives for the here and now.
276041
because the desert hardly ever has severe weather, therefore a tornado cant destroy them. as for earthquakes, a fault line has not been discovered in the desert, but its nothing but sand.
611200
Yes, it's nearly certain there will be an earthquake in Indonesia this year -- there are hundreds of them there every year!  Most of them are too small to be felt, however.\n\nNobody can predict the things you ask for, though.  Not scientifically or any other way.  Sorry, you'll have to wait and see if there's a "big one" this year like the rest of us.