Vinequakes
Class 1 EWE/Biological Hazard
Vinequakes are the catastrophic product of a runaway reaction caused by earthquakes near Snake Vine nests.
Snake vines are a dangerous subterranean plant capable of burrowing through organic and inorganic matter with little resistance. Their growth is triggered by heat and friction, and they're capable of growing several feet per second in many directions at a time. The hotter their environment, the faster they grow.
As such, the tremendous amount of pressure and heat generated by earthquakes quickly causes Snake Vines to sprout upwards, giving them the energy to cause widespread destruction on the Earth's surface. The destruction caused by Snake Vines tend to destabilize structures it penetrates, causing potential for even more friction/heat to be applied to them, making them grow faster and cause greater destruction, which in turn continues to feed further destruction.
Vinequakes are not known to occur with low-magnitude earthquakes. It is theorized that smaller magnitude earthquakes may incite some underground growth, but it is rare for the vines to sprout through the earth's surface at smaller magnitudes. However, subterranean rooms (including basements and bunkers) should still be avoided and/or evacuated if possible.
Fun fact: An earthquake only qualifies as a Vinequake if any Snake Vine spines are spotted above the Earth's surface, as the Vines tend to not cause as much destruction without burrowing into above-ground property.
Aftergrowth
Aftergrowths are what happen when already-sprouted snake vines experience further stimulation (either from aftershocks or other EWEs), causing them to have a new catastrophic wave of growth. They can also be triggered by falling debris and collapsing structures, which are incredibly common during earthquakes/Vinequakes. As such, Vinequakes often occur in several waves of decreasing magnitude until the debris has settled enough to not incite further chaotic growth. Note that the second or third waves of growth/quakes may be even worse than the first. Know what to do before and during a Vinequake to protect yourself.