San Andreas Fault sliding faster than previously thought, study finds

A new study from San Jose State University indicates that the San Andreas Fault is sliding faster than previously estimated. While the United States Geological Survey (USGS) notes that higher slip rates can be associated with more frequent earthquakes, experts clarify that this does not imply an immediate or sudden increase in tension, but rather provides better tools for analyzing movement.

Regarding the recent global increase in seismic activity across countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, scientists state there is no such thing as a ‘earthquake season.’ Instead, these events are driven by the continuous movement of tectonic plates. Earthquakes typically occur at plate boundaries where friction is overcome by tectonic forces, meaning while individual events are geographically dispersed, they are all connected to global tectonic dynamics.