What Causes An Earthquake?

Across the world we experience earthquakes, some countries more than others, but why is this?

We know that an earthquake causes the ground to move which can cause destruction to our built-up areas.

But what causes them in the first place?

In this article, we will look at the causes of earthquakes around the globe.

An earthquake is the vibrations of the earth when the surface begins to move as a result of a sudden release of energy.

This sudden release also known as a seismic wave is caused by movement or a sudden break in rocks underground.

Most earthquakes occur where the tectonic plates meet or where there are fault lines, but they can also be caused by volcanoes, landslides and explosions.

They occur specifically when there is a sudden movement of rock in the earth’s lithosphere.

An example from volcanoes is when pressure is built up under the surface, it needs to be released and this sudden explosion can cause seismic waves, which results in an earthquake.