Earthquake Prone Area Near Pacific Ocean: The Ring of Fire

The earth has several earthquake zones where destructive quakes frequently occur. Among these zones, an earthquake prone area near Pacific Ocean has the highest earthquake risk. People call this zone by various names, for example, the Ring of Fire.

In the last two centuries, many powerful earthquakes with over 8 magnitudes occurred in this zone. Moreover, these earthquakes triggered tsunamis that killed thousands of people. Despite this high earthquake risk, not all countries in the Ring of Fire have excellent early warning systems.

About the Earthquake Prone Area Near Pacific Ocean

The Ring of Fire almost fully encompasses the Pacific Ocean. This area is extremely prone to quakes because it borders on many tectonic plates, most of which are oceanic crusts.

Moreover, those plates are subducting beneath one another. This movement results in earthquakes. Regions in this Pacific earthquake zone experience this natural phenomenon almost daily. About 90% of earthquakes in this zone are lower than 8 magnitudes, but the rest are over 8. 

1. Ever-Recorded Destructive Earthquakes in the Ring of Fire

Due to the high seismic activity in the earthquake prone area near Pacific Ocean, many powerful quakes frequently occur in this zone. Below are the most destructive earthquakes ever hit the Ring of Fire.

• 1952 Severo-Kurilsk Russia: The Severo-Kurilsk earthquake shook several regions in Russia at a magnitude of 9.0. This disaster triggered an 18-m tsunami. This earthquake also killed over 2,000 people in Severo-Kurilsk and neighboring areas.

• 1960 Valdivia, Chile: In 1960, the most powerful quake on earth struck Valdivia, Chile. The 9.5-magnitude triggered a massive tsunami. This deathly wave affected many coastal areas in various countries, such as Chile, Hawaii, the Philippines, and Japan.

• 1964 Alaska: The 1964 Alaska earthquake was a 9.2-magnitude quake. According to the report, this disaster cost about 2 billion USD in property damage in Anchorage and neighboring areas.

• 2004 Indian Ocean: In 2004, a megathrust of 9.1 magnitudes struck the Indian Ocean and triggered a 30-m massive tsunami. This deathly wave caused over 200,000 people to die and displace.

• 2011 Tohoku Japan: The Tohoku earthquake is one of the most damaging earthquakes in Pacific Ocean. This 9.1-magnitude shaking triggered other disasters, i.e., a nuclear disaster and a massive tsunami. This catastrophe killed over 19,000 people.

• Countries in the Ring of Fire

The earthquake prone area near Pacific Ocean is spread across over 15 countries. Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, and Antarctica are some of them.

Countries in the Pacific Ocean earthquake zone are prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Around 700 active and dormant volcanoes can be found in this area. 

Megathrust Earthquake Risks in the Ring of Fire

Experts predict that megathrust earthquakes will occur in several countries located in the Ring of Fire. These catastrophes may happen in the next 30 years or even less than that. Below are 4 countries that have a high megathrust risk.

1. Japan: Report said, there is a high possibility that a megathrust earthquake will occur along the Nankai Trough in the next 30 years. Moreover, it is predicted that the impact of this calamity will be more significant than the Tohoku earthquake in 2011.

2. Indonesia: Megathrust earthquakes may occur in western Sumatra, southern Java, and other active subduction zones across Indonesia. To mitigate the upcoming disaster, the country is trying to improve people’s awareness and EWS equipment.

3. Chile: Chile has a high megathrust earthquake risk. In the past century, the country has experienced several destructive quakes. These disasters may hit this nation again because it lies in an extremely active subduction zone, i.e. the Peru-Chile subduction zone.

4. New Zealand: People in New Zealand realize that there will be a megathrust earthquake hitting their country. It is predicted that the quake will occur in the Hikurangi subduction where the Pacific and Australian plates clash.

Effective Communication Tool for Earthquake and Tsunami EWS

Due to the high risk of earthquakes in the Ring of Fire, regions in this zone must improve their earthquake and tsunami EWS technologies. Well-developed countries, such as Japan and the US, have adopted advanced technology in their EWSs, but others have not.

One of the technologies that must be included in an earthquake and tsunami EWS is the cell broadcast. It is a resilient communication technology. Local authorities can use it to quickly disseminate early warnings to all people in the hazardous zone. 

Therefore, many people know the potential disaster and can evacuate from hazardous areas. Consequently, there will be a minimum number of earthquake and tsunami victims. 

The earthquake prone area near Pacific Ocean covers a large area of many countries. Megathrust earthquakes may occur in the next three decades in this region. Therefore, governments of those countries must have cell broadcast machines to distribute early warning messages on earthquakes and tsunamis. Purchase the broadcast machines now on smsbroadcaster.com.