Earthquakes are caused by the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the earth’s surface. They can strike without warning and can occur at any time. In the U.S., 45 states and territories are at ...

The Earth's surface is made up of a number of plates that are almost always moving. Most earthquakes happen where these plates meet. Some of these plates slide past each other, causing friction to ...

About 55 earthquakes a day – 20,000 a year – are recorded by the National Earthquake Information Center. Most are tiny and barely noticed by people living where they happen. But some are ...