By Chris Burke, Updated August 30, 2022
Photo by Matias Delacroix / Getty Images News
According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Earthquake Information Center, scientists log more than 20,000 earthquakes annually, with millions occurring worldwide. While most events are minor and go unnoticed, some, like Japan’s 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, unleash massive energy, causing widespread loss of life and extensive damage.
Seismologists harness data from even the smallest tremors to probe the Earth’s interior. By tracking how seismic waves travel through different materials, they can identify aquifers, oil and gas reservoirs, and other valuable resources, estimating their size and guiding responsible extraction.
Earthquakes are the visible expression of plate tectonics, the engine that builds mountains, carves coastlines, and refreshes ocean basins. The continuous movement that triggers seismic events recycles material from the mantle to the surface, creating new seafloor that supports diverse marine ecosystems which, in turn, play critical roles in carbon sequestration and oxygen production.
Large quakes can claim thousands of lives. The 2008 Indonesia earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed over 280,000 people, while the 2010 Haiti earthquake claimed more than 230,000 lives. Developing regions often suffer the most because they lack stringent building codes and modern engineering solutions.
Beyond the human cost, earthquakes impose staggering financial burdens. The 2011 Japanese disaster is projected to cost roughly $232 billion to repair, and the 2004 Indonesian quake inflicted about $8.4 billion in damages. Damaged infrastructure can cripple local economies, with the most severe impacts occurring where construction standards are weakest.
Despite their destructive potential, earthquakes also offer essential benefits to science, resource management, and the natural environment—underscoring the complex relationship humanity shares with this dynamic planet.
