But in ALL earthquakes, the ground shakes . In large magnitude earthquakes, more ground shakes, and it shakes longer, than in small magnitude earthquakes.
Ground shaking causes damage tens of miles away from the fault source.
When the ground shakes, damage occurs to buildings, facilities and their contents. People can be injured or killed. People find that they may no longer be able to sleep in their homes, or even have access to their belongings. Businesses can't function and segments of the economy suffer. Hazardous materials are released which can be damaging to people and the environment.