The Big Story Should we be worried about all the strong earthquakes this year?
Dec 9, 2025
Katsu Goda, an earthquake expert and associate professor at Western University, discusses the rising headlines of strong earthquakes this year. He delves into whether seismic activity is increasing or just more reported. Goda explains the long-lasting aftershocks of past quakes in Japan and the dynamics of the Pacific plate that can lead to regional earthquakes. He stresses the importance of building standards in mitigating earthquake damage and shares practical safety advice during quakes, while addressing potential tsunami threats in areas like Cascadia.
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Big Years Can Be Illusionary
- 2025 has seen several very large earthquakes but long-term statistics do not yet show an overall increase in global seismicity.
- Katsu Goda explains a few big events (Kamchatka, Myanmar, Japan) make a year feel unusually active even if the long-term rate is stable.
Aftershocks Can Last Decades
- Large megathrust events can produce aftershock sequences that persist for decades.
- Goda points to the 2011 Tohoku 9.0 quake as continuing to influence seismicity in northern Japan.
Quakes Can Trigger Nearby Events
- Large earthquakes change stress on nearby faults and can trigger additional quakes in adjacent regions.
- Goda describes how stress transfer around the Pacific can make neighbouring zones more prone to activity.