The recent spate of powerful earthquakes does not signal a higher risk of quakes in China in the short term, the China Earthquake Administration said at a press conference on Monday.
Four earthquakes of at least magnitude 6.5 have jolted Ecuador, Japan, Myanmar and Afghanistan in the past 10 days, killing hundreds of people and triggering tsunami alerts.
"Similar intensive earthquakes have occurred 37 times since 1900, and the Chinese mainland has only experienced major earthquakes three times since an intensive quake period elsewhere in the world," Pan Huaiwen, head of the China Earthquake Networks Center, which monitors seismic activity in China and directly under the China Earthquake Administration, said at a press conference on Monday in Beijing.
"Statistically speaking, the recent powerful quakes have no direct impact in the short-term on China's seismic activities," Pan said.
He noted, however, that the frequency of major earthquakes has surpassed the average level of global seismic activity in the past 100 years, but said he believes there is no need for the public to be overly concerned.
Seismologists also said that the earthquakes in Afghanistan on April 10 and in Myanmar on April 13 indicate growing tectonic pressure exerted by the Indian Plate moving northward.
Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center, said the movement will have a long-term influence on seismic activity in China.
Meanwhile, non-government groups in China are scheduled to send 12 people to assist in disaster relief efforts in Ecuador, including nine people from the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and its associating partners, and three from the Rescue Team of Ramunion, An Jianrong, a staffer from the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation, told the Global Times.
Saturday's 7.8 magnitude quake in Ecuador ripped buildings and roads, knocked out power and injured at least 2,068 people in the largely poor Andean country.
At least 350 people have died from the jolt.
"Since 2004, seismic activity on Earth has changed, in which mega earthquakes of at least magnitude 8.0 have become more active … and this period is expected to last for a considerable amount of time," Pan said.
