Why the revival in earthquakes lately? Can a bigger one be next? | Explainer

The death toll of the 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar exceeded 2700, with thousands of injured, according to local media reports on Tuesday. Senior General. Little Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar’s military government, said on a forum in Naypyitaw that 2,719 deaths had been confirmed, along with 4,521 injuries and 441 people still missing, according to Western News Online. With rescue operations still constantly and many affected areas that still have to be achieved, the numbers are expected to rise further. A woman walked past the buildings in Mandalay on April 1, 2025, four days after a major earthquake hit Central Myanmar. (AFP) It seems that earthquakes have become more frequent lately, causing great destruction and tragic loss of life. Does this indicate that an even more powerful earthquake may soon strike, which could possibly lead to a global scale to catastrophic devastation? The US Geological Survey (USGS) explains that short -term fluctuations in seismic activity are a normal part of the natural variation in earthquake. “An increase or decrease in global seismicity does not necessarily indicate that a major earthquake is about to take place,” the agency says. The Comcat earthquake catalog has shown an increase in recorded earthquakes over the past few years, but this is not due to a greater number of earthquakes – this is because there are now more seismic instruments in place, enabling the detection and recording of more earthquakes. Why it feels like earthquakes are on the rise, the British Geological Survey indicates various reasons why we seem to encounter more earthquakes. An increased visibility of earthquakes in populated areas: Earthquakes found in densely populated regions are more likely to attract attention than those in remote areas. If a series of earthquakes hit population centers, it could give the impression that their frequency has risen. As the world population grows, more people live in earthquake areas, which means that the total number of earthquakes can remain the same, its impact is greater. Earthquake grouping: Although the prevalence of earthquake generally follows a steady long-term average, seismic activity often happens in clusters due to the random nature of tectonic processes. People tend to notice these groups of activities, but they usually do not keep the quieter periods in between, nor do they remember the previous groups as soon as they are over. Improved global communication: Progress in global communication has made it possible to receive immediate updates on significant earthquakes from all over the world. This means that more people are now aware of earthquakes and their devastating consequences, leading to greater public recognition of seismic events. Some statistics for your reference The National Earthquake Information Center now follows about 20,000 earthquakes annually, an average of about 55 per day. According to USGS, the public is now being informed faster than ever of the progress in communication and growing interest in natural disasters. Long -term data (since 1900) indicates that on average there are 16 important earthquakes each year, including 15 earthquakes and 1 size 8 or greater. Over the past 40-50 years, we have exceeded this average about a dozen times. The highest total took place in 2010, with 23 great earthquakes. In some years, however, the total was significantly lower, as in 1989 (6 major earthquakes) and 1988 (7 major earthquakes), both far below the long-term average of 16. Recent earthquakes over size March 7, 30, 2025-Tonga earthquake (M7.0): The earthquake west of the Tonga slot resulted in the reverse. debt. Given the depth and location, the shallow baptismal error at the plate interface is the more likely source. This event was mainly caused by the subduction zone activity in the region. March 28, 2025 Myanmar Earthquake (M7.7): This earthquake occurred as a result of the strike of the strike along the border of India-Europe plate. The split probably occurred on the right-lateral sagaing error, an important tectonic feature in the region. The finite error solution indicates movement along a north-fasting right-lateral error, confirming the association with the ongoing tectonic activity between the Indian and Sunda plates. February 8, 2025 earthquake in the Cayman Islands (M7.6): This event was caused by the strike of the strike near the North America Caribbean plate border. The split occurred next to a steep dip structure, with possible right-lateral or left-lateral movement. The tectonic movement between the North America and the Caribbean plates at about 20 mm per year was the primary driver of this earthquake. January 7, 2025 – Earthquake of the Tibetan Plato (M7.1): The earthquake in the Southern Tibetan Plato was caused by normal faults at level depths within the Eurasian plate, north of the Himalayan mountain border. The responsibility responsible was perpendicular to the plate limit, which is an indication of corst extension in the region. These types of errors are typical of earthquakes in the plate in areas that experience tectonic suspense adjustments. 6 Deadliest earthquakes since 1950 2010 Haiti earthquake: The Port-Au-Prince Metropolitan area has been destroyed, with an estimated 300,000 deaths and 1.5 million people left homeless. The earthquake caused widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. 2008 Sichuan Earthquake: The earthquake killed nearly 90,000 people, injured 375,000 and left over 5 million homeless. More than half of the Beichuan city was destroyed due to the seismic impact and the release of the water from a nearby lake. 2005 Kashmir Earthquake: A stay-7.6 earthquake hit Kashmir and NWFP-administered Pakistan, which also affected India and Afghanistan. At least 79,000 people were killed, and 32,000 buildings collapsed. It was one of the most devastating earthquakes of modern times. 2004 Earthquake in the Indian Ocean & Tsunami: An earthquake of the underwater underwater struck Sumatra on December 26, 2004. The tsunami waves, some of 9 meters high, spread over 13 countries and killed at least 230,000 people. Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldive and Thailand suffered the worst damage. 1976 Tangshan Earthquake (China): On July 28, 1976, an earthquake of 7.5 almost wiped out the coal mining city of Tangshan. The official death toll was 242,000, but estimates indicate up to 655,000 deaths. At least 700,000 were injured, and the destruction expanded to Beijing. 1970 Great Peruvian Earthquake: On May 31, 1970, a massive earthquake outside the west of Peru landslides caused, which collapsed many poorly built structures. About 70,000 people were killed, and significant damage to infrastructure has arisen.