what is it called when there is a violent shaking of the ground
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the perceptible shaking of the surface of the Earth, which can be violent enough to destroy major buildings and kill thousands of people.The severity of the shaking can range from barely felt to violent enough to toss people around.n its most general sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic event â whether natural or caused by humans â that generates seismic waves. Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults, but also by other events such as volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear tests.