A state-of-the-art earthquake simulator has opened in Switzerland that aims to educate people on how to react if caught in a major earthquake
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Unless you live in an area particularly prone to them – places such as Indonesia, Japan or Iran – then you may think that the chances of being caught up in an earthquake are pretty slim. But, perhaps you should think again. Worldwide there had already been 3,257 earthquakes with a magnitude of above 4.0 recorded between the start of this year and mid-May. That’s roughly 22.3 quakes per day!
Some of the more notable quakes already recorded this year include a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on the Noto Peninsula of Japan on New Year’s Day, which resulted in 245 deaths. An unusual 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit the New York City metropolitan area in April. This was the strongest earthquake to have hit the region since 1783. Also in April, Taiwan experienced its biggest earthquake in 25 years, with a magnitude of 7.2, killing 9 people and injuring more than 900.
Last year saw some very serious earthquakes, including the Turkey and Syria earthquake, which killed 55,000 people and the Morocco earthquake, which killed 3,000. In total up to 66,000 people were killed because of earthquakes in 2023.
In the UK the most powerful earthquake of the modern era was of 5.4 magnitude and took place in 1984 with the epicentre on the Llŷn Peninsula, north Wales. Although there were no known casualties the quake did cause structural damage with Liverpool being worst hit.
Humanity has of course lived with the risk of earthquakes since the very beginning. But, the due to increasing human exposure and the number of buildings built in high earthquake-hazard areas the worldwide earthquake risk is growing year on year.
All of this might make you wonder how you should react if you are ever caught up in an earthquake. To help answer those questions a new Earthquake Simulation and Prevention Centre (CPPS) has opened in Sion, Switzerland. The aim of the centre, which is open to the public on Saturdays from 9 am-5 pm and to organised groups from 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Saturday, is to train people in how to react if caught in a significant earthquake. The showpiece of the centre is the earthquake simulator, which was recently developed by the University of Applied Sciences HES-SO in western Switzerland and the London-based design studio INK. The simulator, which is the first of its kind, makes it possible to feel and experience the different characteristics of an earthquake through the use of a giant moving platform (shake table) and three large screens that surround and immerse the viewers.
The simulator can replicate every recorded worldwide earthquake through powerful hydraulics under the shake table. This allows participants to physically experience the power of earthquakes such as the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake and the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, which killed 8,964 people.
The developers of the simulator claim that it will ‘provide crucial educational content, including the causes of earthquakes, crust formation, and preventing significant damage through building regulations’.
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