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    Earthquakes are a significant global concern. Earthquakes of varying magnitude occur everyday. Most are small, but the potential for a large quake exists. What scientists don’t yet know, though, is when a large quake might be expected to occur. In 1997, 13 significant earthquakes were noted in the CRED database (source: World Disaster Report).

    The primary health concern associated with earthquakes are injuries arising from structural collapse. Most injuries occur amongst individuals trapped within their homes or businesses at the time of the earthquake. Another issue in large quakes is the development of tsunamis. Quite recently, Papua New Guinea was struck by a tsunami following a n earthquake in the Pacific Ocean. Several thousand individuals were swept out to sea by the tsunami.

    Other information: Tsunamis, May 1999 issue, Scientific American