In light of the recent events, Choose The Right Nanny decided this is the perfect time for our families and nannies to teach children about earthquakes and tsunamis.

What are earthquakes and how are they measured?

According to FEMA for kids, earthquakes are the shaking, rolling, or sudden shock of the earth’s surface. Earthquakes happen along “fault lines” in the earth’s crust. Earthquakes are measured using the Richter scale. The Richter scale measures how much the ground shakes using a scale of 1.0 to 9.0. An earthquake that is 1.0 would be relatively weak and would not be felt. An earthquake that is 9.0 would be one that causes complete devastation and large-scale loss of life.

The Earthquake that hit Japan today was an 8.9 on the Richter scale.

It is the 5th largest earthquake in 111 years.

What is a tsunami?

A tsunami is a large destructive ocean wave caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other movements on the Earth’s surface.

After the 8.9 earthquake in Japan today, they had a 23-foot tsunami that destroyed everything in its path. The tsunami swept people, boats, cars, houses, buildings and everything else in its path.

The recent tragedies in Japan are being felt around the world. Our prayers go out to all of the families, parents, children, and nannies that were affected by this natural disaster.