'Prevention is better than cure.' How does this statement apply to earthquakes? Give reasons to support your answer.

The statement "Prevention is better than cure" applies very well to earthquakes. Once an earthquake occurs, the damage has already been done. Therefore, the best approach is to prevent the earthquake from happening or mitigate its effects.

We cannot prevent earthquakes caused by natural causes but we can certainly check the man made causes of earthquakes. Human activity like construction of huge dams, nuclear explosions, blasting of rocks, mining, etc., near fault zones are responsible for earthquakes.

1. Koyna earthquake in Maharashtra was caused by construction of the Koyna dam in a seismically active region.
2. Chemical wastes dumped into the ground and underground explosions in the USA caused several earthquakes in Colorado in the 1960s.

Apart from disregarding nature, retrofitting buildings to withstand earthquakes or constructing new buildings with earthquake-resistant materials can be expensive, but it is often cheaper than repairing or rebuilding after an earthquake. Educating people on earthquake safety or implementing early warning systems can help to protect people from harm.