Earthquakes inside tectonic plates can produce centuries of aftershocks
While coastal quakes settle quickly, tremors deep within continental plates decay slowly because rigid rock releases stress over thousands of years.
Most people associate earthquakes with the volatile boundaries where tectonic plates meet, such as the coast of Japan. In these regions, aftershocks typically fade within a few weeks. However, earthquakes that occur in the middle of a tectonic plate follow a much different timeline. Because the rock inside a continental plate is exceptionally rigid, it releases stored energy at a glacial pace.
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