Earthquakes are the most destructive (1) disasters. They usually (2) without any warning and result in a great (3) of life and an enormous demolition of buildings. Additionally, they may cause (4) landslides or create gigantic tidal waves which, in (5) , are colossal walls of water smashing into seashores with such (6) that they are (7) of destroying coastal cities. However, the (8) majority of fatalities and serious injuries (9) about when buildings collapse.

Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to (10) once the shaking starts. The savage forces of an earthquake trigger off a (11) chain reaction in the building’s (12) when it is shaken, lifted, pushed or pulled. A building’s height, its (13) and construction materials are the most significant (14) deciding about the survival and collapse of the structure and, consequently, about the life or death of its (15) .

(1) nature natural native naturalistic
(2) hit strike fall attack
(3) fatality waste harm loss
(4) overwhelming disturbing devastating destructive
(5) certainty honesty truth fact
(6) liveliness force influence command
(7) potential capable conceivable possible
(8) vast wide broad full
(9) bring come lay make
(10) escape divert abandon discard
(11) compound composite complex complicated
(12) design configuration formation structure
(13) shape figure character spirit
(14) keys reasons causes factors
(15) settlers citizens inhabitants natives