Disaster preparedness
We prepare people for disasters by developing emergency plans and protective measures.
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Emergency relief & reconstruction after an earthquake
Earthquakes are among the most frequent natural disasters on earth. They are a serious danger, especially because they usually occur without warning. Although an earthquake often only lasts a few seconds, the consequences are usually severe. Devastating tremors often kill thousands of people.
Numerous houses are damaged or even completely destroyed, causing many people to lose their homes. The infrastructure of the affected regions also suffers from such a disaster. In addition to buildings, many water sources are also destroyed, making water supply a challenge.
Malteser International supports those affected immediately after the disaster and during the subsequent reconstruction. In addition, people are better prepared for future earthquakes through emergency training and the construction of earthquake-proof houses.
Earthquake in Türkiye & Syria: Every help counts!
Several severe earthquakes shook Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023. Tens of thousands of people lost their lives. The damage to buildings and infrastructure is massive.
We are still on the ground with our partners and have provided rapid emergency aid for the people affected. Find out more about the situation in the earthquake region, how we have helped people on the ground and how we are still supporting them.
Earthquakes: Causes, effects, and relief measures
What causes an earthquake?
The earth's crust consists of seven larger and numerous smaller plates that resemble a jigsaw puzzle. They float on a liquid layer of magma. Time and again, the plates of the earth's crust shift slightly and move away from each other or collide.
As soon as the pressure becomes too great or two plates wedge together, a fracture occurs at the edge or within a plate. These tensions are then released in the form of an earthquake. The point at which the plates become wedged at a depth of several kilometers and where the earthquake occurs is known as the earthquake focus or hypocenter.
The epicenter is located at this point above the earth's surface - i.e. the point at which the earthquake is strongest. Earthquakes do not usually consist of a single tremor, as there are often also foreshocks and aftershocks. These are smaller than the main earthquake and occur before or after it. However, foreshocks are so rare and weak that it is very difficult to recognize them in time before the main earthquake occurs.
Although earthquakes cannot be accurately predicted, it is possible to detect impending tremors at short notice with the help of early warning systems. If the pressure between two plates in the earth's crust becomes too great and an earthquake occurs, the shaking is transmitted in waves in all directions. Measuring stations can detect this weak signal shortly before the earthquake. Although there is usually only a short time before the shaking occurs, warnings can be issued and measures taken at short notice.
At what magnitude does an earthquake cause damage?
The strength of an earthquake can be determined using the so-called Richter scale. This was developed by the US seismologist Charles Francis Richter and introduced in 1935.
The magnitude (Latin “magnitudo” = size) serves as the scale. To calculate the magnitude, the shaking of the earthquake must be measured with a seismometer. In addition, the distance to the earthquake source, i.e. the point from which the earthquake originated, must be known.
With this data, the amplitude, i.e. the largest or maximum ground movement, can be read from the graphical evaluations of the seismometer. In combination with the distance, this gives the magnitude. As the amplitudes can vary greatly, Richter used a logarithmic scale. If the earthquakes differ in their maximum amplitude by a factor of 10, they differ in their magnitude on the scale by a value of 1. A magnitude 7 earthquake is therefore ten times stronger than a magnitude 6 quake and even 100 times stronger than a magnitude 5 quake.
Currently, the scale for the strongest known earthquakes ranges up to values above 9. Magnitudes of 10 or greater have never been measured. For people in populated areas, earthquakes of magnitude 3 and above are easily felt. However, damage is rarely caused. However, damage must be expected in the event of earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater, particularly in unstable and vulnerable buildings. Even stronger tremors can cause severe damage or destroy entire areas.
The consequences of an earthquake
Depending on the region and magnitude, earthquakes can sometimes have serious consequences. In Germany alone, several hundred earthquakes are measured every year, but they are usually so weak that they cannot be felt. Damage is also only caused in the rarest of cases. The last serious earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 occurred in 1992. It killed one person and caused damage worth 250 million DM (around 130 million euros at the time).
Other countries are much more threatened by earthquakes and their effects: severe earthquakes destroy entire villages, rob people of their homes and claim lives. Entire crops, livestock and clean drinking water sources are destroyed by earthquakes, jeopardizing the future of the population.
In addition to destroyed infrastructure, the quakes also leave psychological damage in their wake. That is why it is important to support the victims in such times while better preparing them for future disasters.
How you can help the affected population
In regions that are particularly at risk from earth tremors, it is important to prepare people for emergencies and take preventative measures. This is why we support the promotion of local disaster preparedness structures through training and education.
Even if earthquakes occur unexpectedly and suddenly, it makes sense to raise awareness of the issue in good time and provide communities with the necessary information. This way, people know what to do in an emergency and can act more quickly. In Japan, for example, a nationwide early warning system was introduced to limit the number of victims and damage. It uses the knowledge gained from previous earthquakes and warns people via cell phones and the media.
After an earthquake, we provide rapid aid in the affected regions. We provide the affected families with essential food and household items and take care of medical care and hospital equipment. To ensure that those affected have a roof over their heads temporarily, especially in winter, we provide them with building materials for temporary houses.
In the months following the disaster, we support the affected regions with reconstruction, particularly in the areas of accommodation, water, sanitary infrastructure and health. To improve the people's hygiene situation, we build latrines and repair water reservoirs and pipes.
We are also building health stations and training health personnel to provide medical treatment and help people with mental illness. The construction of earthquake-proof houses is also essential in order to provide families with a long-term home and secure their livelihoods. You can support our earthquake emergency aid and promote our projects with your donations.
Major earthquakes in recent years
In 1960, Chile experienced the strongest earthquake since records began, with a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale. The quake triggered a tsunami that caused widespread devastation and damage. As a result, 1,655 people lost their lives, 3,000 were injured and around two million people lost their homes.
In recent years, severe earthquakes have occurred in Asia in particular, for example in Nepal on April 25, 2015, when a magnitude 7.8 quake struck the area between Kathmandu and Pokhara in Nepal. It killed 9,000 people and injured more than 22,000. Over 700,000 houses were either severely damaged or completely destroyed. In total, more than 2.8 million people were affected by the disaster. Immediately after the quake, we took action with emergency measures.
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Emergency relief
After natural disasters or armed conflicts, we provide rapid and effective relief for the population.
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