Earthquakes primarily occur along the edges of the Earth's tectonic plates, where these plates interact with each other. The Earth's crust is divided into several major and minor tectonic plates, including oceanic plates under the oceans and continental plates on land. Most earthquakes happen at or near the boundaries of these plates, where they may move towards, away from, or slide past each other
. The most seismically active region is the circum-Pacific seismic belt, also known as the "Ring of Fire," which encircles the Pacific Ocean. This zone accounts for about 80-90% of the world's largest earthquakes and is characterized by frequent volcanic and seismic activity due to the subduction of the Pacific plate beneath surrounding plates
. Other notable earthquake-prone areas include:
- The Himalayan mountain region, where the Indian plate collides with the Eurasian plate
- Mid-ocean ridges and continental rift zones, where plates are diverging or spreading apart, such as the Southwest Indian Ridge and the Lake Baikal rift zone
- Fault zones within continental crust where pre-existing geological structures influence earthquake distribution
While most earthquakes occur near plate boundaries, some can happen within plates away from boundaries, though these tend to be less frequent and generally less powerful
. In summary, earthquakes are located mostly along tectonic plate boundaries, especially around the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," mid-ocean ridges, continental rift zones, and major fault lines worldwide
