Earthquakes occur due to sudden tectonic movements within the earth's crust.
The Earth's crust is divided into large sections called tectonic plates, which float on a semi-fluid layer known as the asthenosphere.
When two tectonic plates interact, different types of boundaries can form, such as convergent and divergent and transform boundaries.
The most powerful and destructive earthquakes usually occur at convergent boundaries, where two plates collide or slide past each other.
At a convergence boundary, one tectonic plate can be forced beneath another in a process called subduction.
The sudden release of stored energy produces seismic waves, resulting in earthquakes.