We can only hope human tragedy is minimal when such events occur, but the surface of the Earth is incredibly dynamic. The Pacific rim is no stranger to radical activity.
Living in Colorado gave one a real sense of the forces involved, if you were paying attention.
Driving West from Denver, you can see the layers of rock twisted and mangled from the phenomenal forces involved.
What was once ocean floor has been raised to 14,000 feet above sea level.
And even higher in Montana, British Columbia, Alaska, and the Himalayas(29,000 feet!) Yet these are relatively small wrinkles on the face of our ever changing planet.
It isn't shy about reminding us that what we perceive as solid ground is, in fact, in a constant plastic state, and is always moving.