Large earthquakes can trigger a domino effect of subsequent earthquakes

the verdict

SUPPORTED

the evidence backs this

Recorded sources

4 sources for · 0 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that large earthquakes can trigger a domino effect of subsequent earthquakes?

Yes. Large earthquakes can indeed trigger subsequent earthquakes through mechanisms such as stress transfer and cascading fault ruptures.

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 4 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 6 Aug 2026

The analysis

Papers [1], [3], [4], and [5] provide strong, direct empirical and modeling evidence that large earthquakes trigger subsequent earthquakes through stress transfer and cascading rupture processes. There is no contradictory evidence in the retrieved set.

Evidence for · 4

Supershear triggering and cascading fault ruptures of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, earthquake doublet

2024

The study demonstrates how the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake doublet involved cascading fault ruptures where one large event triggered another.

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Ren, C., Wang, Z., Taymaz, T., Hu, N., Luo, H., Zhao, Z., Yue, H., Song, X., Shen, Z., Xu, H., Geng, J., Zhang, W., Wang, T., Ge, Z., Irmak, T. S., Erman, C., Zhou, Y., Li, Z., Xu, H., Cao, B., & Ding, H. (2024). Supershear triggering and cascading fault ruptures of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, earthquake doublet. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi1519

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More for · 3

The Role of Viscoelastic Stress Transfer in Long‐Term Earthquake Cascades: Insights After the Central Italy 2016–2017 Seismic Sequence

2018

Research on the Central Italy seismic sequence shows that viscoelastic stress transfer can trigger subsequent moderate-to-strong earthquakes over time.

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Verdecchia, A., Pace, B., Visini, F., Scotti, O., Peruzza, L., & Benedetti, L. (2018). The Role of Viscoelastic Stress Transfer in Long‐Term Earthquake Cascades: Insights After the Central Italy 2016–2017 Seismic Sequence. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005110

Physical Mechanisms of Earthquake Nucleation and Foreshocks: Cascade Triggering, Aseismic Slip, or Fluid Flows?

2024

This review highlights elastic stress transfer and cascade triggering as key physical mechanisms for earthquake sequences.

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Peng, Z. & Lei, X. (2024). Physical Mechanisms of Earthquake Nucleation and Foreshocks: Cascade Triggering, Aseismic Slip, or Fluid Flows?. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eqrea.2024.100349

Aftershocks following the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake driven by both stress transfer and afterslip

2023

The analysis of aftershocks following the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake indicates that earthquake-to-earthquake interactions drive triggered seismicity.

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Ueda, T. & Kato, A. (2023). Aftershocks following the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake driven by both stress transfer and afterslip. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40645-023-00564-0

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Receipt History

first checked06 Aug 2026

judged → SUPPORTED · 8806 Aug 2026

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