Has there been an increase in big earthquakes worldwide this year?
So far in 2026, there have been 34 earthquakes with a magnitude between six and 6.9, alongside 11 earthquakes above a magnitude of seven.
Despite recent large earthquakes in countries like Indonesia and Venezuela, experts say there hasn't been an above-average rate of major quakes in 2026. On Saturday, Indonesia experienced a 7.7 magnitude quake, marking the 11th earthquake of that magnitude this year and the fifth since June. Canada also recorded 34 earthquakes with a magnitude between six and 6.9, with roughly 16 significant earthquakes typically expected annually.
John Cassidy, an earthquake seismologist, noted that with 11 earthquakes so far, they are about on average. Major earthquakes, defined as those with magnitudes of seven or higher, are primarily driven by the movement of tectonic plates. In the case of Indonesia and Canada's west coast, ocean plates are subducting beneath continents, causing these tectonic plates to move about five to seven centimeters annually.
Canada has recorded 2,819 earthquakes this year. While some earthquakes have caused devastating damage, the intensity of quakes this year is considered normal.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
