While updating the Truth Corps presentation for this year, Bro. Richard Patterson received the following article from the Denver-based National Earthquake Information Service, which is run by the United States Geological Service.
We continue to hear from many people throughout the world that earthquakes are on the increase. Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, quakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant throughout this century and, according to our records, have actually seemed to decrease in recent years.
A partial explanation may lie in the fact that in the last 20 years, we have definitely had an increase in the number of earthquakes we have been able to locate each year. This is because of the tremendous increase in the number of seismograph stations in the world and the many improvements in global communications. In 1931, there were about 350 stations operating in the world; today, there are more than 4,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by telex, computer and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us, and other seismological centers, to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years, and we are able to locate earthquakes more rapidly.
The NEIS now locates about 12,000 to 14,000 earthquakes each year or approximately 35 per day. Also, because of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in natural disasters, the public now learns about more earthquakes.
According to a scale developed many years ago which was based on long-term records, we should have 18 major earthquakes (7.0- 7.9) and one great earthquake (8.0 or above) in any given year. However, let’s take a look at what has happened in the past 22 years from 1969 through 1990.
Our records show that we have not reached or exceeded the number of major earthquakes specified by the scale since 1971. In 1970 and 1971, we had 20 and 19 major earthquakes, respectively; but in other years, the total was in many cases well below the 18 per year, which we may expect based on the long-term average. The following is a list of major earthquakes and great earthquakes (in parenthesis) during this period:
1969- 15(1) 1975- 14(1) 1981 – 13 (0) 1987 – 11 (0)
1970 – 20 (0) 1976 – 15 (2) 1982 – 10 (1) 1988- 8(0)
1971 – 19 (1) 1977 – 11 (2) 1983 – 14 (0) 1989- 6(1)
1972 – 15 (0) 1978 – 16 (1) 1984- 8(0) 1990 – 13 (0)
1973 – 13 (0) 1979 – 13 (0) 1985 – 13 (1)
1974 – 14 (0) 1980 – 13 (1) 1986- 5(1)
Scriptural relevance
As recorded in Matthew 24:7, there would be earthquakes in diverse places before the Lord’s Mount Olivet prophecy would be fulfilled. Based on the above data, we might conclude Jesus had reference only to A.D. 70, when earthquakes did dramatically increase. Or, perhaps, we are yet to see a rapid rise in the number of earthquakes and an unusual variety in the places where they occur.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One