Earthquake

 Earthquake

Shaking of the surface of the earth caused by a sudden release of energy in the crust

For other uses, see Earthquake (disambiguation).

"Seismic event" redirects here. For seismic migration, see Seismic migration.

An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those that are so weak that they cannot be felt, to those violent enough to

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. propel objects and people into the air and wreak destruction across entire cities. The seismicity, or seismic activity, of an area is the frequency, type, and size of earthquakes experienced over a particular time period. The word tremor is also used for non-earthquake seismic rumbling.

For the current earthquake season, see List of earthquakes in 2022.

Earthquake epicenters occur mostly along tectonic plate boundaries, and especially on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Global plate tectonic movement

At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and displacing or disrupting the ground. When the epicenter of a large earthquake is located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides and, occasionally, volcanic activity.

In its most general sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic event—whether natural or caused by humans—that generates seismic wave