Following the massive Japanese earthquake in which so many people lost their lives, people who have a fear of this unpredictable and uncontrollable natural disaster must have had their terror increased tenfold. Add this to the tremors that seriously damaged New Zealand (Feb. 2011) devastated Haiti (Jan. 2010) and caused the South East Asia Tsunami (Dec. 2004), along with massive others in Iran, South China and even Italy and in the 21st Century alone, earthquakes have been responsible for 680,000 deaths. It’s not unreasonable to be scared and here are the 7 worst places to live if you’re afraid of earthquakes
Japan is actually the country that records the most seismic activity but even so the recent earthquake was a major shock because they are also extremely well prepared and equipped. The main town destroyed (Miyagi) had a 10m wall which is scientifically proven to be effective against Tsunamis. Unfortunately, the tremendous shaking and tectonic movement actually made the earth drop more than 10m rendering the wall useless when the wave hit.
Another one of the worst places to live if you are scared of earthquakes has experienced a devastating disaster this century and that is Indonesia. Along an extremely active seismic zone, this is definitely a place to avoid because it has a long history of strong and damaging quakes.
Indonesia's geological setting, particularly along the Sunda Megathrust, exacerbates the situation. The infamous 2004 Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami, which claimed over 230,000 lives in the region, is a stark reminder of the country's susceptibility. Moreover, cities like Padang could be at risk for future catastrophic events. Living amidst such unpredictable natural forces can be a constant source of anxiety, emphasizing the nation's ongoing struggle with seismic threats. Additionally, the country's infrastructure often can't withstand the seismic forces, adding to the potential danger.
Somewhere you may not have heard of but certainly one of the worst places to live if you’re scared of earthquakes. It’s a sparsely populated area in the South Pacific but it’s also thought that many of the earthquakes here go unrecorded.
Tonga isn't just remote; it's actually situated on the highly volatile Pacific Ring of Fire. This area is notorious for its seismic activity due to the movements of tectonic plates beneath the ocean floor. If earth trembles make you uneasy, then the islands of Tonga could be particularly unsettling. Locals are accustomed to the occasional rumble, but for newcomers, the experience can be quite jarring. Additionally, with limited resources and infrastructure, the natural beauty of this spot can be overshadowed by the potential for significant seismic disasters.
China is one of the three countries that has suffered the most number of the world’s strongest quakes including one of 8.8 magnitude in February, 2010 and one of 6.9 less than two months later.
Along with China, Iran is one of the worst places to live if you are scared of earthquakes because it too suffers a large number of high magnitude quakes. Mother Earth has no sense of occasion and the last catastrophic earthquake in Iran was on Christmas Day, 2003 which caused 28,000 fatalities.
This is the last of the top three countries that suffers the most high magnitude quakes although in the 21st century so far they’ve enjoyed a fairly quiet period of seismic activity. The last major event was in 1999, measured 7.8 on the Richter Scale and caused over 17,000 casualties.
I hate to tell you this ladies, but there’s nowhere to hide. Anywhere in the world can be struck by an earthquake at any time. Obviously, there are specific earthquake zones – for example the whole of the Pacific Rim and particularly South East Asia - and this whole area can be classed as the worst place to live if you are scared of earthquakes.
Movements in the Earth’s crusts are as uncontrollable as but far less predictable than the weather. It’s one of the vagaries of life on this planet and all you can do is hope that your house doesn’t stand in one of the worst places to live if you’re scared of earthquakes.
And whilst on the subject, best wishes to those still suffering in Japan.
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