what are the consequences of earthquakes?
what are foreshocks and aftershocks
how can you prepare for an earthquake?
You can read about the consequences of major earthquakes in the recent news reports from Sichuan province, China. Lives are lost, people are made homeless and buildings, bridges and sometimes levees and dams are destroyed. Sometimes tsunamis occur, causing additional loss of life and property along coastlines.
Foreshocks and aftershocks are lesser earthquakes that occur before and after the stongest one, in the same area. Foreshocks are usually weak or do not aoccur at all.
Minimization of earthquake damage and loss of life requires the enforcement of engineering practices and building codes that require stronger earthquake-resistant building design.
See
http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoService/Reference_Services/advEQdesign.asp
for an example