Holy cow, this is an active day for semi-large earthquakes all over the planet: ...

ars · on April 7, 2011

There are earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger quite often, probably every week. And under 6 (like the 5.8) are even more common.

shawnee_ · on April 7, 2011

There are earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger quite often, probably every week. And under 6 (like the 5.8) are even more common.

I'll hold my assertion that it seems to be a more active week than normal in the seismological world.

Your comment adds nothing here and is not backed up by any evidence; "probably every week" does not count as evidence. The majority of the number that the USGS counts includes quakes below the ocean. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/year/eqsta...

The USGS calls anything 6+ "large". A magnitude 6 earthquake can be deadly. Even magnitude 5 < can be deadly. There are factors at work depth of the quake as well as other factors, like location where it hits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deadly_earthquakes_sinc...

ars · on April 7, 2011

Did you really say "not backed up by any evidence", and in the very next sentence provide the actual evidence??

If you look at that handy evidence you provided: Magnitude 6 or larger quakes happen 150 times a year. That's about 2 or 3 a week.

And regarding 5.8 magnitude one you mentioned: earthquakes in that range happen about 10 times a day!

Are you really surprised that events that occur this often happen to cluster up on one day?