You remember exactly what you should do when an earthquake strikes from your lessons in school and, luckily, no one in your family gets hurt. Even your house is untouched, but your playhouse is completely destroyed. Both were built of wood, both had doors and windows. You decide to investigate before you rebuild the playhouse to earthquake-proof your design. The crust is broken into a number of pieces, each of which move slowly in different directions, a process known as plate tectonics.
Earthquakes occur when there is a slip or break between two tectonic plates.
Earthquake waves compress the soil, as well as move it side to side and up and down. Earthquake waves damage buildings and structures because they twist and push them in ways that they cannot always withstand. The land on which the building stands is a factor too - sand or landfill can become like quicksand during an earthquake. Though some parts of the world are more likely to experience earthquakes than other parts, an earthquake can occur anywhere on the Earth's surface.