Earthquake Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Earthquakes. Earthquakes involve the powerful movement of rocks in the Earth’s crust. The rapid release of energy creates seismic waves that travel through the earth. Scientists use the different speeds of seismic waves to locate the epicentre (the point on the surface directly above where the earthquake originated) of earthquakes. Seismometers are used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. You are unlikely to feel a magnitude 3 earthquake but a magnitude 6 earthquake could potentially cause large damage. The damage caused by earthquakes also depends on their depth and fault type.
The earthquake that hit the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11, 2011, had a magnitude of 9.0 and killed over 15000 people. The destruction caused by the Tohoku earthquake was made much worse by powerful tsunamis that were triggered due to the earthquake’s epicentre being located offshore. Facts. Earthquake in the Classroom. Earthquake Destruction. Earthquakes. Picture.