A tragic hero can be defined simply as the protagonist of a tragedy. The Greek philosopher Aristotle, however, endowed this individual with a number of specific characteristics. The first of which is his ability to evoke fear and pity from an audience.
Earthquakes can negatively affect the environment in a number of ways. The initial shock can trigger landslides, displacing soil and leaving the area vulnerable to erosion. Quakes can also stir up dust, pollen, spores, and other material and disburse it into the air.
P and S waves may seem like shaky business, but the waves that really do damage are the ones that occur when the energy of the quake reaches the surface of the earth. Rayleigh waves churn over and under like rolling ocean waves; Love waves shake the earth from side to side.