Part 5/14:
Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of accumulated energy from the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates constantly move, collide, and shift, building pressure until it exceeds the rocks’ capacity, leading to a rupture. Magnitude determines how people perceive the quake: moderate tremors (magnitude 4–5) may only register as vibrations; larger events (magnitude 6–7) unleash forces ten times stronger, capable of widespread destruction.