Your world: Instagram documents the aftermath of earthquakes

Earthquakes are pretty terrifying. Even if you haven’t experienced one in real life, anyone who’s seen the 2015 film San Andreas or rode on the Earthquake! ride at Universal Studios would agree. Earthquakes can and have caused catastrophic damage across the globe, all depending on their severity or magnitude on the Richter scale.

Today in our recurring Your World feature, we take a look at some Instagram photos documenting the aftermath of major earthquakes. While the damage and loss of life may difficult to process, we remain inspired by the strength and humanity of those who survive earthquakes and help one another begin to recover.

Still fear in this beautiful country, #Italy! 4 #earthquakes in 4 hours yesterday. This is the #picture of one of my favourite place in the centre of Italy, #Amatrice. If I close my eyes I can still feel on my skin that fresh air, the slow pace of everything that makes you relax, the scent of flowers on the balconies. I’m lucky I can have all these memories <3 #peace #pray #naturaldisaster #crying #savetheirlives #heart #soul #mind always with all those people

A post shared by flami_pocket.rocket (@flami_fitlife) on Jan 18, 2017 at 6:10pm PST

Mother and Son #aceh #pidiejaya #earthquakes #disaster

A post shared by Eko Unedo Alberto Manurung (@ekoalberto) on Dec 21, 2016 at 7:32am PST

After Earthquake #earthquake #35mm #colors #artwork #china #room #documentary #photooftheday #photography #bed #canon #building #architecture

A post shared by NewDisplay (@newdisplay) on Jan 19, 2017 at 8:00am PST

Earthquake central #earthquake #earthquakes #damage #road #broken #kaikoura #newzealand

A post shared by Alec Marshall (@alec_marshall2319) on Dec 20, 2016 at 2:01am PST

After earthquake #earthquake #35mm #colors #artwork #china #room #documentary #photooftheday #photography #bed #canon #building #architecture

A post shared by NewDisplay (@newdisplay) on Jan 19, 2017 at 7:56am PST

#landsplit #faultline #earthquakes #pai #thailand

A post shared by Chakradhar Vittala (@cv_wt) on Jan 17, 2017 at 7:57pm PST

4th day of my hike, at #Chisapani . Out of 10 hostels here, 6 was destroyed. It is quite shocking to see that they are just left as it is and people have no plan of doing anything about it atm. Local just walk around the inclined buildings as if they are totally safe.. turn out my sister used to stay in that guest house while she was trekking ..#Kathmandu #Nepal #earthquake

A post shared by Reg (@chanxiaoqi) on Jan 19, 2017 at 4:28am PST

Senza casa, senza luce, senza riscaldamento. In una casetta di legno, una tenda, un container nella neve. La sopravvivenza. Spesso dimentichiamo quanto siamo fortunati noi. Ci lamentiamo se si scarica l’iPhone, se non ci piace il pranzo, quando non ci va di fare qualcosa. Potrebbe accadere a chiunque ciò che è accaduto e sta accadendo nel cuore della nostra bella Italia, dovremmo apprezzare di più ciò che abbiamo. E lo stato? Le istituzioni? Più intente a salvare le banche o a pensare a chi vendere l’appalto per la fantomatica ricostruzione piuttosto che fare effettivamente qualcosa. Aria, terra, acqua, fuoco. La natura del pessimismo storico di Leopardi. #Love #Life #NoWords #Italy #earthquake #Snow #Cold #Winter

A post shared by Antonio Luciano (@antonioluciano) on Jan 19, 2017 at 2:11am PST

My first hike in #nepal showed me a glimpse of how remote villages cope during #earthquakes The fact is that these villages are so remote that the buildings are left and the families move. This is old #chisapani it has now been rebuilt further down the mountain. Go visit, the people there are incredible and the morning views are stunning. It’s less touristy and has one of the best #dalbaht I have tasted #travel #sabbatical #seeitall

A post shared by Hannah Lees (@missleestraveladventure) on Jan 12, 2017 at 4:59am PST

E ci sono momenti come questi che ti rendi conto che tutto ciò che hai fatto resterà inutile. Potrai programmare la tua vita, cosa farai domani, o dopodomani, ma il volere della natura non lo cambi. La terra trema e tutto ciò che c’è sopra di lei crolla assieme al lavoro di una vita. Ed è qui che ricordiamo che noi per il pianeta Terra siamo solo degli ospiti. //parolemie// #earthquake #prayforitaly

A post shared by clara😈 (@httpclarie) on Jan 19, 2017 at 12:34am PST

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer