Earthquake!
Noun
consequences of an event, especially a disastrous one
Wyclef also immediately traveled to his homeland in the aftermath of the earthquake and subsequently raised millions of dollars for relief efforts.
Noun
worst part or main effect
The town of Tachileik and surrounding villages in NE Burma appear to have borne the brunt of the earthquake, felt as far away as the capitals of Thailand and Vietnam.
Verb
fall into pieces
Once elaborately furnished, Haiti's palace of Sans-Souci crumbled in an 1842 earthquake. Today the ruined structure is rapidly deteriorating due to poor drainage and neglect.
Noun
remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
Japan faces the distressing hurdle of removing an estimated 100 million tons of detritus in the wake of last month's earthquake and tsunami.
Adjective
forced to leave their home, typically because of war or natural disaster
Displaced Haitians, fed up with the overcrowded camps in Port-au-Prince, are forming hillside communities with thousands of squatters.
Adjective
helping to improve the welfare and happiness of people
The operation to avert large-scale radiation has overshadowed the humanitarian aftermath of the 9.0-magnitude quake and 33-foot tsunami that struck on March 11.
Noun
measurement of the energy of an earthquake
A magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck Japan, tsunami waves inundating cities and towns along 1,300 miles (2,092km) of coastline.
Noun
scale used to show the total amount of energy released by an earthquake
Earthquakes vary in how destructive they are. A quake measuring 3 to 5 on the Richter scale is considered minor; 5 to 7 is moderate to strong; 7 to 8 is major; and 8 or more is catastrophic.
Noun
remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
A strong aftershock ripped through northeastern Japan, killing two, injuring dozens and piling misery on a region still buried under the rubble of last month's devastating tsunami.
