Unbelievable EARTHQUAKE MYTHS AROUND THE WORLD-fusionstor-ies

Earthquakes and tsunamis have long been associated with animals or superficial creatures which are resting undergrounds and their annoyance cause the earth to jolt when someone tries to disturb them from slumber. Earthquake myths are anecdotes that are correlated with ecological observations or affiliation with some animals in most parts of the world and are passing from one generation to another. The science has given many scientific reasons for these natural disasters but there are numerous famous myths and beliefs about the causes of earthquakes and tsunamis which can still be heard and believed in many parts of the world.

EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN PAKISTAN(ASIA)

I’ll start from the myth that I used to hear in my childhood in Pakistan from my Nano (grandmother) when we visited her in the countryside. She used to warn us many times like,
“An ox stables the earth’s surface on its single horn. When he gets tired and switches the duty to the other horn then earth twists around with a jolt. We shouldn’t jump on the ground or stomp our feet harsh down otherwise it’ll exhaust that ox early and we’ll fall into an earthquake.”
This picture can show my childhood imagination that how would a bull hold the whole world on its single horn?

EARTHQUAKE MYTHS IN INDIA AND CHINA(ASIA)

 The people in India and China thought that earth is merely held by several elephants that stay on the back of a turtle. That turtle is fixed on a top of a cobra. When any of these animals get tired and wish to move, the earth shakes.

EARTHQUAKE MYTHS IN GREECE(EUROPE)

There are several myths associated with ancient Greek mythology about the causes of earthquakes and tsunamis. According to people in Greece, there is an earthquake god named Poseidon that holds a trident in its hand. When Poseidon strikes the ground with that trident, then it fabricates an earthquake.

EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN AFRICA

A cat carries a rock on its back and a cow is balanced on the rock. When the cow moves on getting tired then earth shakes.
In west Africa, it is supposed that earth is flat disk which is balanced by a giant in the east and the other end is carried by a mountain. Giant’s wife holds the sky. When the giant stops his duty to hug his wife then earth shakes.
It is also believed that the plants on earth are giant’s hair and people and animals are insects amid them.

EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN JAPAN

Here comes another poor animal Namazu( a catfish) which is believed to ring the earthquake or tsunami bells. In Japan, people used to believe that there is a monster catfish (Namazu) who lives under mud deep down the seas of Japan and can feel the minor tremors underground. When this catfish comes out on earth’s face and is seen in shallow water then it is a sign of an upcoming tsunami or a big earthquake. It is also widely believed that Namazu (a giant catfish) is stopped by god Kashima and his stone. Whenever Namazu found a chance to break the barrier, Namazu flogged out and this movement shakes the earth and the sea. People in Japan hit the catfish at once whenever they see it near as they think it a cursed animal.

EARTHQUAKE MYTHS IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Tales from Pacific Northwest deemed that when a large thunderbird and a Whale from the sea approach to any clash. Their brawl causes the waves of the ocean to trigger and earth to tremor to aid their partners. This generates tsunamis and earthquakes in those countries.

EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA

EARTHQUAKE WEATHER

People in California, America long believed that there is a season the “earthquake season” where a massive earthquake is likely to happen. The people in California believe that surface weather affects the underground changes of any region and generate the earthquake symptoms long before it meets the surface.

EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN IRAN

Iranian people believed that imaginary gods, storm demons or spirits enter the earth and shake the surface. They produce mountains and when the end time of earth will come then these demons will level the earth with a massive earthquake.

 EARTHQUAKE MYTH IN SCIENCE

Up to the 18th century, scientists including Newton believed that earthquakes are caused because of explosions of flammable substances under the crust of the earth. When a big explosion bursts deep down, then it shakes and cracks the earth’s crust causing natural disasters.

MODERN SCIENTIFIC REASON OF ANY EARTHQUAKE

There are fractures in the earth’s crust which are called fault lines. These fractures can be tiny or can be miles long. On the other side, we know that there is a constant movement of rocks and tectonic plate in earth’s crust when any of the rocks slide against any fault line or two tectonic plates push each other to make its space, then jots and tremors are felt above earth surface which is called an earthquake.

MANY EARTHQUAKE MYTHS ARE DEBUNKED

Scientists and geologists have tried to debunk many myths and have proved that there is no correlation between the appearance of Namazu to an earthquake and no animals are seen even deep down but myths are more of a part of traditions and associations from past than of any belief.