The amplitude (size) of seismic waves is affected by the material through which they travel. Soft soil and fill causes the seismic wave amplitude to increase and therefore this allows them to cause more damage to structures.
Also soft ground and certain types of soil are prone to a phenomenon known as liquefaction which can cause damage to buildings.
For more information, please see the related questions below.
Filled land can amplify seismic waves, increasing the likelihood of damage during an earthquake. Loose soft soil can also amplify ground shaking and potentially cause more severe damage by increasing the ground displacement and potential for liquefaction. Both types of soil can increase the risk of landslides and building collapse during an earthquake.
The valdivia earthquake caused a lot of damage. But I am not sure what kind of damage it caused.
The proximity of the epicentre to populated or urban areas will effect the damage caused as the closer the earthquake's epicentre, the more energy will be retained by the earthquake waves and so the greater their capacity to cause damage.
The Kobe earthquake was extremely strong. It caused an awful lot of damage and many people were devastated with the terrible damage. The strength was so strong that it caused the roads to crack, bulidings to collapes, things to fall aparts and much much more!
The ground vibrations, however, were too rapid to affect taller buildings, whose periods of vibration were longer than the earthquake waves, and too slow to affect shorter buildings, whose periods of vibration were shorter.
There was $500 million damage to the south of Chile (1960 dollars) , $50 million damage to Japan, $75 million damage to Hawaii and $500,000 damage to the west coast of USA. The total amount of damage losses were estimated at half a billion 1960 dollars
Buildings on filled land has less damages. Buildings on loose or soft soil has more damage.
The valdivia earthquake caused a lot of damage. But I am not sure what kind of damage it caused.
well te earthquake caused the tsunami to hit so the earthquake did the most damage
The proximity of the epicentre to populated or urban areas will effect the damage caused as the closer the earthquake's epicentre, the more energy will be retained by the earthquake waves and so the greater their capacity to cause damage.
It caused a lot of damage which cost them a Lot of money to fix
there would be considerable damage in poorly built structures
Earthquake scales that take into consideration the damage caused by an earthquake are known as intensity scales. Examples include the The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale and the Macroseismic Scale.
The earthquake caused very little damage.
lots
The Charleston earthquake of 1886 caused minor damage in the upstate region of South Carolina, including cracked walls and fallen chimneys. However, the impact was less severe compared to the coastal areas closer to the epicenter of the earthquake.
seismogram
Examples:What was the extent of the damage done to the vehicle? The earthquake has caused a lot of damage.