In Middle Eastern countries such as Iran and Iraq, many deaths have been caused by earthquakes mainly because of:

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Consider the context of earthquake fatalities in some Middle Eastern countries, where building construction and resilience play a central role in casualty rates.
Option 1: 'liquefaction' refers to soil failure during shaking, typically linked to saturated, loose, granular soils like silts and sands. While liquefaction can cause damage, in many parts of Iran and Iraq the widespread deaths are more closely tied to the vulnerability of the built environment rather than the ground losing strength alone.
Option 2: 'people falling into giant cracks opened by the quake' is a dramatic image, but it does not account for the broad pattern of fatalities. Structural collapse tends to be the dominant driver of deaths, with many victims inside damaged buildings rather than incidents of falling into fissures.
Option 3: 'explosion of broken gas mains' points to secondary disasters that can occur after strong shaking, yet fatalities from gas explosions are relatively localized and episodic compared to the extensive collapse of poor buildings that housing many people at the time of the quake.
Option 4: 'collapse of mud-brick and unreinforced concrete houses' highlights a systemic vulnerability: traditional construction using mud brick and unreinforced concrete lacks adequate seismic reinforcement, making buildings prone to catastrophic collapse during shaking, which historically accounts for a large share of earthquake fatalities in the region.
In sum, the pattern of deaths aligns most strongly with structural collapse stemming from vulnerable construction practices, rather than liquefaction effects, fissure-related injuries, or secondary gas explosions. The interplay between housing material, construction quality, and seismic forces explains why fatalities are concentrated where buildings lack proper reinforcement.

GEO 1030-090 Fall 2025 Module 11: Quiz

In Middle Eastern countries such as Iran and Iraq, many deaths have been caused by earthquakes mainly because of:

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