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18 Earthquakes in 24 Days: Will the World Witness a Big Earthquake?

The month of November is going through worries. Several earthquakes have been registered in different parts of the world this month. So far, 18 earthquakes and many other minor tremors have been recorded.

An earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale struck the northeastern state of Meghalaya, India last Thursday. Experts from the National Seismology Center said the quake was felt around 3:46am at a distance of 37km from Tura to Meghalaya. The epicenter of the earthquake was about 5 km below the surface.

18 earthquakes in 24 days

The total number of earthquakes recorded in different parts of the world in the past 24 days is 18. A magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck Nashik in Maharashtra. Similarly, large earthquakes occurred in Malango, Solomon Islands (magnitude 7), Deus Province in Turkey (magnitude 6.1), and Baja California, Mexico (magnitude 6.2). The most serious earthquake occurred on the Indonesian island of Java. Although the intensity on the Richter scale was recorded at 5.6, the earthquake caused serious damage. About 260 people lost their lives in the earthquake. Many people were seriously injured.

Meanwhile, an earthquake was also recorded off Crete, Greece. Subsequently, a tsunami warning was also issued in the area. A similar warning is also in force off the Solomon Islands. Current events indicate whether the frequency of earthquakes is increasing.

According to data from the United States Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program, 12 earthquakes were recorded in November last year. According to the survey, significant earthquakes are a combination of magnitude, human experience, and Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes (PAGER) alert level.

This year, earthquakes have increased compared to 2021. It was said that 12 earthquakes were registered last November. But the number of earthquakes recorded in the past 24 days is 18. This figure excludes minor earthquakes in Meghalaya and Pithorgarh of Uttarakhand on 9 November.

An earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck Nepal. Subsequently, an earthquake was registered in Uttarakhand on 9 November. Six people were killed in this earthquake. Many houses have collapsed. The earthquake occurred in Nepal on November 9 at 1:57 am. Three consecutive earthquakes were recorded here in five hours. The intensity of the earthquake was felt to increase every hour. The latest earthquakes have been felt in Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Earthquakes are on the rise

There is no doubt that the number of earthquakes in the world is on the rise. But do these signs point to a major earthquake? According to a 2017 report by international media Guardian, increased mining, nuclear explosions and groundwater exploitation are the main cause of man-made earthquakes. All 728 earthquakes of the last 149 years have been attributed to human activities.

Scientists say the cold the Earth experiences causes its outermost layer, the earth’s crust, to contract. This phenomenon is said to consequently cause volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

Meanwhile, US agencies say low-frequency tremors in the ground are normal and false signs that a major earthquake is approaching. According to the US agency’s report, the increase in numbers is due to the introduction of more systems to record the movements of the earth. However, experts believe that the possibility of a major earthquake cannot be completely ruled out.

Warnings

After the November earthquake in Nepal, experts said that there is still the possibility of a major earthquake in the Himalayan region and that preparations should be made to reduce the damage caused by it.

Ajay Paul, a senior geophysicist at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, says the Himalayas were formed as a result of the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The Eurasian plate is under constant pressure on the Indian plate. As a result, the energy stored underneath is released in the form of earthquakes, Paul said.

Earthquakes are a regular and continuous process due to the accumulation of energy under the plate that comprises the Himalayas. The entire Himalayan region is prone to earthquakes. And the possibility of a strong earthquake cannot be ruled out. Paul also said that the earthquake intensity that could occur in the future will be 7 or more on the Richter scale.

At the same time, experts say the possibility of an earthquake cannot be ruled out in Delhi, which is an extremely seismic area. Earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 on the Richter scale will cause great damage to Delhi. Professor Chandan Ghosh says many buildings will collapse.

Tokyo, Japan is another earthquake-prone area. The last earthquake to hit the city was in 1923. Experts say the next earthquake will occur in about a century. Experts say there is a 70% chance that an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale will hit Tokyo before 2050.

Tokyo is the most densely populated city. Therefore, the country will have to make heavy preparations to deal with this disaster. The Japanese call that tragic day X-Day. It is reported that around 9,700 people will die in an earthquake of that magnitude.

About 1,50,000 people will be injured. 3.39 million people will have to be displaced after the disaster. At the same time, more than 30,000 buildings will be damaged, journalist Daniel Hurst said in a Guardian report published in 2019.

Similar predictions have been made for the United States. Parts of California’s San Andreas Fault have not broken in more than 200 years. These suggest a high-magnitude earthquake, commonly referred to as the “Big One,” could be triggered, according to Business Insider’s report.

Meanwhile, according to a 2015 forecast from the USGS, California has a seven percent chance of a magnitude 8 earthquake in the next 30 years. California sits between two major tectonic plates. California lies between the Pacific Plate, which moves northwest, and the North American Plate, which moves southeast.

According to a study by seismologists, an earthquake in California could topple old buildings in the state and destroy roads, power, telephone and water lines. And it will lead to hundreds of fires. The report also says they will be very difficult to control.

Read also- Indonesia shaken again by earthquake; Why does even a small earthquake cause so much damage?

Furthermore, the study indicates that the California earthquake will destroy the pipes that carry water, electricity and gas to Los Angeles, and only after months of work will they recover. While most modern buildings can survive an earthquake, some are likely to become unusable. According to a report in Smithsonian magazine, the aftershocks will affect the state significantly.

The report indicates that 2,000 people will be killed and 50,000 injured in this disaster. Damages will be around $200 billion. Therefore, experts are of the opinion that the current situation should not be underestimated and systems should be prepared to prevent a major earthquake.

The earthquake that occurred in Java, Indonesia last day also caused huge national losses. Thousands of earthquakes are reported in Indonesia every year. While some are minor earthquakes, others can seriously affect the country. According to currently available data, a total of 10,570 earthquakes occurred in Indonesia in 2021. This is a significant increase from 2020. In 2020, 8,264 earthquakes were recorded.

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