Our planet has up to 1,000,000 earthquakes every year, but most of them occur on the ocean floor and cause very little or no damage. It is only those which occur on land and near big cities that cause damage and loss of life.
There are places which have never had a serious earthquake, the northeastern part of the United States, for instance. Other places, however, like Japan and the area around the Mediterranean Sea, have minor quakes nearly every day. But about 3/4 of all the world’s earthquakes occur under and around the Pacific Ocean.
This area is called the “Ring of Fire,” because the area does actually form a ring around the ocean. It goes along the western coasts of North, Central, and South America, and along the eastern coasts of Russia, China, and Japan. The other 1/4 of the world’s earthquakes occur in a line that cuts across southern Europe, Turkey, Iran, and India.
In California, which usually has a serious earthquake once every 50 to 100 years, engineers have designed and built buildings which can stand up under the most serious quakes!
Related Posts
-
Can a Tornado Happen Anywhere?
Tornadoes have been reported in every state in America, and have occurred in every season! But most tornadoes occur from April to June, and especially strike in the southern states. In recent years,…
-
How Many Earthquakes Occur In the World Each Year and Where Do Most Earthquakes Occur On Earth?
Geologists estimate that about 500,000 earthquakes occur each year in the world. Of these, about 100,000 are strong enough to be felt by people, and about 100 earthquakes cause damage. Minor earthquakes occur…
-
Where Do Most Earthquakes In the United States Occur and Can Earthquakes Occur In Illinois and Missouri?
Most earthquakes in the United States occur along the San Andreas Fault in California. But the West Coast of the United States isn't the only place where major earthquakes can occur. Geologists predict…
-
How Is the Probability of Future Earthquakes Calculated and Can Earthquakes Be Predicted By Geologists?
Earthquakes can not be predicted. Geologists can, however, calculate the probability of future earthquakes based on past activity. They know that very large earthquakes have happened along the southern part of the San…
-
Who Discovered that Earthquakes occur along Fault Lines and Where do Earthquakes come from?
Scientists now know that they can predict the locations of future earthquakes by mapping the locations of fault lines. However, just a century ago this simple truth was not known. Harry Reid's discovery…
-
Where Do Most Earthquakes Happen On Earth and Where Is the Pacific Ring of Fire Located?
Most earthquakes and volcanoes take place along plate boundaries, which are places where tectonic plates meet. One of the most active areas is around the Pacific Plate, known as the Ring of Fire.…
