Earth Splits in seconds during earthquake captured in real-time footage for first time – Watch video

Earth Splits During Massive Earthquake, Captured on Camera (Image: Canva)

It is not every day you see Earth tear apart. Yet cameras have now caught that dramatic scene in real time. For the first time, scientists have filmed the planet’s crust splitting during a powerful quake.

The event happened during a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in a remote seismic hotspot. Researchers had set up advanced cameras after noticing unusual tremors for months. When the quake struck, the footage showed the crust breaking apart along a fault. A crack stretched for hundreds of metres across the landscape. Such scenes are rarely captured because they happen so suddenly.

Experts say the video allows a frame-by-frame study of the rupture. This can reveal its speed, the energy release and movement pattern. The information may improve models for earthquake prediction and assist in designing more secure buildings. Scientists hope to enhance early-warning systems by detecting quake signals earlier. The aim is to give people more time to seek safety. Machine learning models will also use the footage to improve quake simulations.

The footage will be analysed alongside seismic data by global experts. Scientists will recreate the rupture in laboratories to study different soil and fault types. They believe this will help forecast how future quakes may strike. The first results could be released within the next year. These findings may change how we prepare for one of nature’s most powerful forces.