BIG ONE FEARS: String of massive earthquakes spark new scares over Pacific Ring of Fire

A strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked El Salvador while Santander in Columbia was hit by a 4.4 tremor. Reports from Uruguay also suggest that a minor quake occurred there, although seismologists are yet to release information about its strength.
The El Salvadorian quake, for which the epicentre was off the coast of of Usulután, led to tsunami warnings from experts.
The spate of quakes has led some to believe there is growing tension between the surface which could contribute to a huge earthquake.
Of the three countries, El Salvador and Columbia both sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire – a huge 40,000 kilometre stretch where several fault lines connect and is often associated with heightened seismic activity.

The El Salvador quake struck just off the coast of El Salvador

Japan, which is also on the Ring of Fire, has also been hit by a 7.4 magnitude quake in the last few days, while New Zealand, another on the line, has experienced strong quakes in recent days too.
While experts cannot predict where the next massive earthquake will strike, a study by researchers from the University of Oregon and France’s Géoazur laboratory states a string of central and South American countries could be next.

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New Zealand has experienced quakes in excess of 7.0 magnitude

A press release regarding the study which was published in the journal Science, read: “Peru, Java or Mexico, which have not seen very large earthquakes over the last 200-300 years, appear to have all the necessary characteristics for a mega-earthquake in the future.”

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“Peru, Java or Mexico ... have all the necessary characteristics for a mega-earthquake"

Shocking images show the mass trail of destruction after TWO powerful earthquakes shook the Italian city of Perugia in the space of a just a few hours.

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Two women carry their belongings after an earthquake in Visso

Explaining the Ring of Fire, University of Technology Sydney’s Dr Behzad Fatahi, a lecturer in Earthquake Engineering, told News.com.au: “The borders of a lot of tectonic plates meet in the Ring of Fire, they move away from each other and push each other, it’s one of those very active areas.”

 

http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/736532/earthquake-Pacific-Ring-of-Fire-tsunami-big-one