Signs of an Imminent Earthquake

People have been trying to accurately predict earthquakes for centuries, but unfortunately success has been rare. Currently there are no completely reliable methods for predicting an earthquake. There are, however, several popular methods that seem to have had a small degree of success, or at least a sizable public following. These methods have caused the evacuation of a city or town only to prove false, however earthquakes have also been successfully predicted using certain methods.

  1. Animal Behavior

    • It is a common belief that animals will act in a way that is out of their normal character when an earthquake is imminent, and several studies back up this theory. About 10 to 20 hours before an earthquake, large numbers of animals may act restless or fearful, ranging from wild animals to farm animals and even domestic pets. Some pets will go into hiding and may resist being restrained, even becoming abnormally violent to get away. Birds will spend as little time sitting on trees or on the ground as possible; instead they fly around at low altitudes and appear agitated.

    Thermal Prediction

    • Some people say that in the months before an earthquake, the local average temperature will increase continuously until the day of the earthquake. This rise can be observed on a household thermometer. The day of the earthquake, the temperature will be about 40 degrees Fahrenheit above the normal, average temperature for the day. This methods is not accepted by scientists as being completely accurate, but there is a large population of people in the world that have had success using this method and believe in its accuracy.

    Electromagnetic Disturbance Method

    • In the 10 to 30 hours preceding an earthquake, the surface and subsurface of the earth heats up, causing a disturbance of the earth's magnetic field. This is an extremely reliable earthquake prediction method. The disturbance in the earth's magnetic field is measurable using specialized equipment, and it is also noticeable on a common AM radio. On the radio, some stations will come in at frequencies higher than normal, meaning that if you are trying to listen to a radio show that is normally on 1080 AM, it may be on 1090AM instead. Cellular communications may also be disrupted by static or drop calls continuously.

    Water Level Prediction Method

    • As the earth's crust changes elevation in preparation for an earthquake, the ground water levels also change; they may rise of fall up to 3 feet. In areas that use well water, it is not uncommon for the well water to become disrupted such as bubbling or becoming abnormally muddy. Sometimes there are rapid and dramatic change in the level and current of local rivers; the changes to the rivers can occur up to two days in advance of the actual earthquake.