Earthquake Frequency: Is it on the Rise?

[Why Syzygy]

http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/27452/earthquake_frequency_is_it_on_1.asp

This year has seen major quakes in Haiti, Chile, Mexico, and now China. However, while this succession of major, devastating quakes could be seen as unusual, there is little reason to believe that frequency of major earthquakes has increased significantly since the network of seismographs was established.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the annual number of earthquakes worldwide having a magnitude of M6.0-M6.9 is 134. For quakes M7.0-M7.9, the number lowers to 17. For great quakes of M8.0 or greater, the number is near 1.

The estimates for M6.0-M6.9 temblors are based upon data since 1990. Otherwise, the dates reflect observations since 1900.

For quakes above M7.0, there has been no important annual rise in frequency since 1900, according to the USGS. But reporting of quakes of M6.0-M6.9 seems to have risen perceptibly. That lesser earthquakes are reported with increasing frequency since the establishment of a seismic network likely owes to the continuing proliferation of seismic stations around the Earth.

Another important thing to consider is that the timing between natural events such as earthquakes tends to be uneven, with flurries of activity followed by relative breaks. This owes to the randomness that is inherent in natural phenomena.

Then, too, there is the matter of perception. A quick succession of major earthquakes can make headlines and become embedded in memory, but the spells of relative quiet are rarely, if ever, borne in mind.

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. "This owes to the randomness that is inherent in natural phenomena."

I believe in the March Visionary/Dreaming/... thread I'd mentioned not wanting to Look ahead, that March and the first half of April were trouble...this is where the recent flurry centered, unless it has not yet ended.

Is it random if people can See it before it happens? More than one person here has stated worry about quakes in this particular time frame.

[SheilaT]

2. Many people don't realize just how many

earthquakes occur each and every day all over the planet. This is a seismically active hunk of rock, and that's essential to life as we know it here.

It's also important to realize that as world population grows, more and more people are living in places than can be affected by major earthquakes. Or hurricanes. Or tornadoes. Or heat waves. Or blizzards. Or flooding. You get the idea.