The Earth’s surface and earthquakes

The Earth has three main layers: the solid crust outside, the hot dense mantle in the middle, and the very hot core in the centre. The crust is not whole; it is made of lithosphere plates that move very slowly on the mantle. When plates collide or rub against each other the ground shakes: that is an earthquake. Melted mantle can come out through a volcano as lava. Seismologists study earthquakes, but no one can say exactly when one will happen. Strength is measured in points: 1 is the weakest and 12 the strongest. A strong earthquake struck Tashkent on 26 April 1966 at 5:22 a.m.; the “Jasorat” (Courage) monument was built in memory of it. During an earthquake we drop under a table or beside sturdy furniture and protect the head with our hands, stay away from windows and heavy objects, do not use the lift and do not light matches. After the shaking stops we go out calmly.