The odds of these catostrophic earthquakes occuring as they did are about 1:757...not exactly long odds, as things go. There have been an average of about 160 major (6.0 or higher) earthquakes per year since 1994. Based on that statistical fact, there is about a 1:55 chance of an earthquake occuring within any given hour. These two particular quakes were actually a full hour apart, so there is a two hour window there to figure, statistically speaking. After crunching the numbers, you get a 0.13% chance of this happening or 1:757. Not to say that this makes it something you should expect, but it isn’t exactly like your chances for hitting the lottery jackpot, either. Just wanted to clarify so nobody blew these "impossible odds" out of proportion.
The odds of these catostrophic earthquakes occuring as they did are about 1:757...not exactly long odds, as things go. There have been an average of about 160 major (6.0 or higher) earthquakes per year since 1994. Based on that statistical fact, there is about a 1:55 chance of an earthquake occuring within any given hour. These two particular quakes were actually a full hour apart, so there is a two hour window there to figure, statistically speaking. After crunching the numbers, you get a 0.13% chance of this happening or 1:757. Not to say that this makes it something you should expect, but it isn’t exactly like your chances for hitting the lottery jackpot, either. Just wanted to clarify so nobody blew these "impossible odds" out of proportion.