# Earthquake An earthquake is an intense shaking of the Earth's surface, caused when surface plates move under, over, or slide past each other. Most earthquakes occur along the edges of surface plates. Earthquakes occur at various depths and the exact place the where an earthquake originated is called the *hypocenter*. The place on the Earth surface directly above the hypocenter is called the *epicenter*. For earthquake classification see [[Classifying Earthquakes]]. For statistics see [[Earthquake Frequency]] and [[Causes of Most Earthquake Injuries]]. For preparedness see: - [[How to Prepare for an Earthquake]] - [[What Should I Do During an Earthquake]] - [[What Should I Do After an Earthquake]] - [[Japan Natural Disaster Resources]] For information about the earthquake that caused the Fukushima nuclear accident see [[Great East Japan Earthquake]]. For building construction regulations in Japan see [[Earthquake Construction Regulations in Japan]].