Shaky ground: Thailand in world’s top 60 earthquake-hit countries
Thailand ranks 59th among the top 100 countries with the most earthquakes, recording 59 quakes so far this year, with the strongest reaching a magnitude of 4.9. While the country may not be in the top 10, it still experiences a noticeable number of seismic events.
According to earthquakelist.org, which uses data from the US Geological Survey and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the rankings are updated daily based on earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or higher occurring within 300 kilometres of the country.
Among the top earthquake-prone countries, Indonesia leads with 517 quakes, the strongest at 6.1 magnitude, followed by Mexico with 483 quakes and a peak magnitude of 6.2. Greece and Türkiye, also frequent earthquake hotspots, have recorded 413 and 403 quakes, respectively.
Other countries in the top 10 include China (324 quakes, 7.1 magnitude), Ethiopia (241 quakes, 5.9 magnitude), Chile (225 quakes, 6.1 magnitude), Japan (222 quakes, 6.8 magnitude), India (197 quakes, 7.1 magnitude), and the Philippines (196 quakes, 5.7 magnitude).
The primary cause of these frequent earthquakes in these regions is their location along tectonic plate boundaries, where plates collide, move past each other, or separate. Countries like Indonesia and Japan, which sit within the Pacific Ring of Fire, are particularly affected by the movements of several tectonic plates, including the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Pacific plates.
Mexico is similarly affected by the movement of the Cocos and North American plates, while Türkiye’s frequent seismic activity comes from the North Anatolian Fault.
China’s earthquakes, especially in the western regions, are linked to major fault lines like the Himalayan Seismic Belt.
In Chile, situated at the junction of the Nazca and South American plates, seismic activity is also high. The Philippines, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent quakes due to the movement of the Philippine and Eurasian plates, reported The Nation.
While Thailand’s position in the rankings may seem less alarming, the country is still impacted by the occasional tremor, and residents should remain aware of the risks associated with its location along tectonic plate boundaries.
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