More earthquakes along the fault that caused the Boxing Day and Easter Monday earthquakes are “inevitable” and may cause shocks and tsunamis close to north-western Australia.
Dr Wouter Schellart, who is working on modelling to predict movement and forces in the tectonic plates that cover the earth’s surface, believes it is only a matter of time before there is another quake along the fault and that quakes are likely nearer Australia. Earthquakes are caused by sudden and violent movement along faults and most occur at the edges of the huge tectonic plates due to slow movement of these plates relative to one another.