DEVASTATION AND TRAUMA REIGNS EGYPT

CHILDREN, TEENAGERS,

A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF THEM.
THEN...

ALL HOPE WAS LOST

On 12 October 1992, catastrophe struck Egypt. Darshour, located to the south of Cairo, was hit by a powerful earthquake, measuring 5.9 on the Ritcher scale and lasting 20 seconds. The earthquake is said to have happened because of the plate tectonics happening beneath the Earth’s crust. The planet has seven major plates and many smaller ones. As the African plate converged with Europe, its northern edge began to thrust over the marine crust of the Mediterranean floor hence spawning subduction earthquakes.

There were altogether 552 casualties, 10,000 people injured and 3,000 people vagrant. Majority of the casualties were students trampled in the stampede, hurrying to escape from danger. It was also reported that approximately 116 buildings were either wrecked or terribly ruined.(pic above) Numerous buildings are now riddled with cracks or slanted hazardously. Tremors of the destructive earthquake could be felt in Alexandria on the Mediterranean, Ismailia on the Suez Canal to the east, Asyut in southern Egypt and in Jerusalem.


The army was instructed by the Government to set up three tent cities at the south and northwest of Cairo. Temporary housing for some 2,000 families has also been provided. President Hosni Mubarak guaranteed that those families without housing would be built new houses. The Egyptian Government promised to give 5,000 pounds as compensation for each family member lost due to the earthquake.

There are a few basic precautions to prepare for an earthquake. For instance, we should fix latches on doors to restrain them from unbolting during an earthquake. Keeping bulky objects in lower places so that they will not fall down should an earthquake occurs is another good idea. Furniture should be fastened fastly to resist the amount of shaking during earthquakes. As citizens of our country, we should give our best shot to prepare our country against earthquakes, especially when most unpredicted. All hope need not be lost.

Bibliography: WEBSITES http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/13/world/earthquake-in-egypt-kills-370-and-injures-3300.html?pagewanted=1
http://geology.about.com/library/bl/maps/blmaghrebeastseismap.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/21/world/cairo-journal-after-the-earthquake-a-rumbling-of-discontent.html?pagewanted=1
http://safety.lovetoknow.com/Earthquake_Safety_Precautions
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The illustrated history of wild weather and natural disasters