Although the vast majority of earthquakes that occur in the world each year have natural causes, some of these earthquakes and a number of lesser magnitude seismic events are related to human activities and are called “induced seismic events” or “induced earthquakes.” Induced seismic activity has been documented since at least the 1920s and has been attributed to a range of human activities including the impoundment of large reservoirs behind dams, controlled explosions related to mining or construction, and underground nuclear tests. In addition, energy technologies that involve injection or withdrawal of fluids from the subsurface can also create induced seismic events that can be measured and.
