There are few things more unsettling for many folks than the news of an earthquake. Quakes seem to be popping up everywhere and occurring all the time at an unusual rate. Earthquakes occur over areas with geological faults. I make it a practice to stay out of those areas. Anyway, midday today, June 16, Wednesday, local time, the coast of Indonesia, near the northern coast of Papua, got struck by a series of powerful earthquakes. There have been reported deaths.The earthquakes caused a tsunami warning to be issued. The warning was shortly lifted. The United States Geological Survey  reported the first quake to have a magnitude 6.2, struck about 1:10pm local time on the small island of Biak. It was followed quickly by three more quakes in the same area; the largest was recorded at magnitude 7.0. A series of powerful aftershocks shook the region, some as strong as 6.4 in magnitude.

Several strong earthquakes occur everyday. Most are in isolated or in sparsely populated areas. Scientists are predicting several major earthquakes to occur this year. For more information on earthquakes check out The United States Geological Survey website.