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Several Large Earthquakes in Recent Days Unrelated, Scientist Says

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The Ring of Fire has been restless lately. (Image credit: USGS.)

A flurry of recent earthquakes has rumbled in the Pacific, but they are normal for the region and not related to each other, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck deep underground near Fiji today (Sept. 15). A magnitude 6.2 quake also struck off the coast of the Japanese island of Honshu, where earlier this year a massive magnitude 9.0 quake devastated the country . New Zealand saw a 6.0 quake off its North Island today. Yesterday a 6.1 magnitude quake struck Alaska's Aleutian Islands, and last week a magnitude 6.4 quake struck near Vancouver Island, with shaking felt as far away as Seattle, Wash.

"When things like that happen [one quake triggering another], it's usually immediately after," Bellini told OurAmazingPlanet.

For example, when a large earthquake hits in the Gulf of California, it's common for quakes to immediately follow in Yellowstone, Bellini said.

A magnitude 7.3 is typical for the region near Fiji, and the quake was much too deep 389 miles (626 kilometers) below the Earth's surface to trigger a tsunami, Bellini said.

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You can follow OurAmazingPlanet staff writer Brett Israel on Twitter: @btisrael. Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter @OAPlanet and on Facebook.

Brett Israel
Brett Israel was a staff writer for Live Science with a focus on environmental issues. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from The University of Georgia, a master’s degree in journalism from New York University, and has studied doctorate-level biochemistry at Emory University.