Earthquakes happen all over the world; they've been recorded on all seven continents,

but moat quakes only happen in three places: the Mid-Atlantic ridge, an underwater line
that runs down the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. The Alpide Belt ran from the
Mediterranean to Southeast Asia. Lastly, there is the circum-Pacific belt, which runs
along the Pacific Ocean's rim and is responsible for approximately 80% of all
earthquakes. Given what lies beneath the surface, these areas are susceptible to
earthquakes.
Earthquakes are caused by pressure, specifically pressure caused by extreme stress in
the Earth's crust, which stress can be caused by volcanic activity or even man-made
activity in some areas. However, most earthquakes that cause stress are caused by
tectonic plate movement. Tectonic plates are constantly moving against, away from,
along, or underneath each other, but their edges can catch and stick at times. The
plates, on the other hand, continue to move, or at least attempt to. The energy from the
attempted movement fields around the edges, creating immense pressure until the
edges are forced to let go and the plates slip. This results in a sudden and powerful
release of energy, powerful enough to shatter the earth's crust. This fracturing sends
shockwaves through the ground, resulting in strong vibrations or quakes.
Evidently, the world's most earthquake-prone areas are those where the most
geologically active plates collide. Seismographs record earthquakes and other seismic
activity. Seismographs oscillate when the ground shakes, drawing a jagged line to
reflect the movement. The higher the jagged line, the more powerful the earthquake.
These recorded motions are then used to calculate the magnitude or strength of the
earthquake.
In 1960, the largest recorded earthquake occurred near Bolivia, Chile. Located in the
circum-pacific belt. The Valdivia earthquake was the most powerful of a series of
quakes that struck the region with magnitudes greater than 9.5. The earthquake not
only caused devastating tremors on land, but it also generated a deadly tsunami up to
80 feet high. In fact, seismograph data showed that the shock waves emitted by the
Valdivia earthquake continued to shake the entire planet for the remainder of the day.
Earthquakes can cause enormous devastation, but these same forces have also
created magnificent features, each of which adds character to a planet that is so
exceptional.