"A major quake such as the one that left at least 60,000 dead in southwestern China this month can trigger other earthquakes half way around the world, according to a study released Sunday."...""It was known that these surface waves could travel," explained co-author Tom Parsons of the US Geological Survey. "But most scientists thought these so-called dynamically-triggered earthquakes were a special case. In fact they happen all the time, everywhere, and that was something of a surprise," he said in a phone interview. "..."The terrible December 2004 mega-quake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, for example, provoked seismic events as far away as Alaska, California and Ecuador. There is a better than 95 percent likelihood that the earthquake rate in distant areas will be much higher in the immediate aftermath of a big quake than before or after, the study found. "..

Prediction by looking at the region not the fault.

japan earthquake japan earthquakes video

..."Seismologists said the recent activity is unusual because the quakes started out small and continue to build in strength. The normal pattern is for a main quake followed by smaller aftershocks."...Hundreds of mostly minor quakes have occurred along one or possibly more faults since the sequence began Feb. 28, said Ken Smith, a seismologist at the Reno laboratory. The quakes have occurred along an area about 2 miles long and a half-mile wide. "We can't put a number on it, but the probability of a major earthquake has increased with this sequence," Smith said Saturday. "People need to prepare for ground shaking because there's no way to say how this will play out." "..."The quakes around Reno began a week after a magnitude 6 temblor in the northern Nevada town of Wells, near the Utah border. The Feb. 21 quake caused an estimated $778,000 in damage to homes, schools and historic downtown buildings, dePolo said. Scientists said they're unsure whether the seismic activity at opposite sides of Nevada is related. Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the U.S. behind California and Alaska. The Wells quake was the 15th of at least magnitude 6 in the state's 143-year history. A magnitude-7.4 quake south of Winnemucca in 1915 is the most powerful in state history. "

"An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale shook the suburb of Baba-Monir, in the southern Fars province, early Sunday. "..."Iran is often hit by quakes of varying magnitudes as it sits on some of the world's most active seismic fault lines. "

GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Scientists listening to underwater microphones have detected an unusual swarm of earthquakes off central Oregon, something that often happens before a volcanic eruption — except there are no volcanoes in the area.

"Scientists listening to underwater microphones have detected an unusual swarm of earthquakes off central Oregon, something that often happens before a volcanic eruption _ except there are no volcanoes in the area. "...The quakes have not followed the typical pattern of a major shock followed by a series of diminishing aftershocks, and few have been strong enough to be felt on shore"...

"An earthquake of M6.8 or greater on the Hayward Fault, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay area, is increasingly likely. The last major earthquake on the Hayward Fault was in 1868, 140 years ago: research by the U.S. Geological Survey and others indicate the past five such earthquakes have been 140 years apart on average. According to newly updated information from members of the 1868 Hayward Earthquake Alliance, a major earthquake on the Hayward fault would impact more than 5 million people and property and contents valued in excess of $1.5 trillion in the six counties surrounding the fault. If the 1868 earthquake were to reoccur today, Risk Management Solutions estimates total economic losses to residential and commercial properties would likely exceed $165 billion. Other factors, such as fire, damage to infrastructure, and related disruption would substantially increase the loss. "...