1                 Every year earthquakes are responsible for a large number of deaths and a vast amount of destruction in various parts of the world. most of these damaging earthquakes occur either in a narrow belt which surrounds the Pacific Ocean or in a line which extends from Burma to the Alps in Europe. Some of the destruction is directly caused by the quake itself. An example of this is the collapse of buildings as a result of the quake itself.  Other damage results from landslides or major fires which are initiated by the quake.