Earthquake Archives

Home Earthquake

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks at a press conference at City Hall announcing the launch of the ShakeAlertLA mobile application.

Environment

Los Angeles Launches a New Phone App That Will Alert Users When an Earthquake Is Imminent

Thus far the program has had its fair share of issues, but it could set the precedent for other areas vulnerable to an earthquake.

Amanda Kolson Hurley

A view of Messina on December 28th, 1908, shortly after the terrible earthquake that destroyed two-thirds of the town. There were 126,000 victims, more than 66,000 from the town itself.

Viewfinder: Looking Back at the Remains of Messina, the Italian City Destroyed by an Earthquake 120 Years Ago

A view of Messina on December 28th, 1908, shortly after the terrible earthquake that destroyed two-thirds of the Italian town. There were 126,000 victims, more than 66,000 from the town itself.

Pacific Standard Staff

A man stands on a destroyed car as he views the rubble and debris of destroyed buildings following an earthquake, on October 2nd, 2018, in Palu, Indonesia.

Environment

Disaster in Indonesia Illustrates Faults in Tsunami Warning Systems

Details of Friday's incident are limited, but already there are questions being asked about the effectiveness of Indonesia's tsunami warning system.

Jane Cunneen

Relatives of earthquake victims burn offerings at the ruins of earthquake-hit Beichuan county during the 10-year anniversary on May 11th, 2018, in the Sichuan province of China. Beichuan county was relocated a decade after it was destroyed by the 2008 earthquake in which more than 15,000 people died.

News in Brief

The Week in Photos: From a Volcanic Eruption in Hawaii to Earthquake Offerings in China

A round-up of images from Viewfinder, Pacific Standard's daily photo feature.

Pacific Standard Staff

Environment

How to Create an Effective Earthquake Warning System

The United States is still without a proper early warning system for alerting citizens about an earthquake, but that is about to change.

Chau Tu

Rescue workers stand guard in front of a cordon as the Yun Tsui apartment building leans to one side after an overnight earthquake in Hualien, Taiwan, on February 7th, 2018.

News in Brief

Viewfinder: A Magnitude-6.4 Earthquake Hits the East Coast of Taiwan

Rescue workers stand guard in front of a cordon as the Yun Tsui apartment building leans to one side after an overnight earthquake in Hualien, Taiwan, on February 7th, 2018.

Pacific Standard Staff

First responders tend to exercise victims, playing the role of earthquake casualties, during the 2017 Great California Shakeout earthquake drill at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, California, on October 19th, 2017.

Environment

California’s Ominous Earthquake Drought

A major seismic event in the state is an inevitability, but is the government doing enough to prepare for the disaster?

Richard Aster

People place candles and flowers for the victims of Alvaro Obregon 286 on October 15th, 2017.

Social Justice

How Mexico City Residents Used Social Media in the Wake of the Earthquake to Debunk Fact From Fiction

After witnessing the rampant spread of misinformation in the wake of the September 19th earthquake, a group of Mexico City residents worked diligently to discredit false claims.

Madeleine Wattenbarger