Can anyone explain in simple terms how the KOBE EARTHQUAKE was caused?
If I remember correctly from geology, there is a sub-ducting trench right near Japan, where this occurred. That means, in simple terms – that it is more likely that when one of the tectonic plates moves it will force itself under the other plate, pushing it up. Its the way mountains are formed (which are basically dead volcanoes). However, nothing happens fast in geology, so in the meantime, when a shift happens that causes something to collide majorly against something else, that force has to go somewhere so radiates up through the ground, pushing on every stone in waves and causing what we call an earthquake, forming volcanoes – which forces forth hot lava or just felsic stones and ash from the earth.
