Samoa, then Indonesia: are the earthquakes linked?

Two earthquakes within 16 hours of each other. Cause and effect, or coincidence?

Earthquake in Sumatra

An earthquake on the Indonesian island is likely to have killed thousands

Samoan tsunami

An earthquake in the South Pacific has triggered a tidal wave killing dozens of people in Samoa

Picture Past: August 17, 1999, Turkish earthquake

1999: Turkey experienced its worst recorded earthquake, which killed more than 6,000 people.

Picture Past: May 27, 2006, Java earthquake

2006: central Java in Indonesia is hit by a huge earthquake, killing at least 3,000

Picture Past: May 22, 1960, biggest earthquake

1960: The most powerful earthquake ever recorded, registering 9.5 on the Richter scale, occurred.

Pic of the Day: China earthquake drill

Pupils take part in an earthquake drill at a primary school in Chongqing, China

L’Aquila a ‘ghost town’ as death toll passes 200

The death toll continues to rise, and more still missing, after an earthquake devastates Italian city

Scores die as central Italy hit by earthquake

Earthquake of 6.3 on the Richter scale has hit Italian region of Abruzzo, destroying buildings and taking lives