The recent string of earthquakes are a reminder that we need to be prepared for “The Big One.”

Al Jazeera examines a decade of earthquake data to see how 2026 compares and explains how and where earthquakes strike.

The earthquake was as powerful as the deadly pair that devastated Venezuela in June. But it occurred about ten times deeper in the Earth’s crust, reducing its destructive force. Crucially, too, the Colombian government reacted much faster than the Venezuelan regime.

So far in 2026, there have been 34 earthquakes with a magnitude between six and 6.9, alongside 11 earthquakes above a magnitude of seven.

Earthquake danger is not limited to one familiar crack in California. Across the country, plate boundaries, buried rifts, and active fault systems sit near cities, coastlines, transportation corridors,

A geophysicist who predicted the Colombia earthquake has warned California is “in the crosshairs” of a huge tremor. Stefan Burns warned the Golden State could be next after a 7.4 magnitude hit El Cairo Monday and two struck Venezuela on June 24.

Cajon Pass is more than a busy mountain gateway. Its complex geology could help reshape the next major earthquake’s reach and intensity.

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Columbia was devastating. Host Regina Barber talks to earthquake geologist Rodrigo Alejandro Leon Loya about the tectonic plates that caused the quake and what it was like 150 miles from the epicenter.

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown. All times on the map are Pacific time. The New York Times A 3.8-magnitude earthquake jolted ...

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled Hawaii's Big Island on Monday, and officials are warning that aftershocks are possible in the coming days to weeks.