Answer: Earth’s surface is divided into seven major and many minor plates. Earthquakes mostly occur where these tectonic plates meet—the plate boundaries. Each boundary is made up of faults—fractures in the rock along which movement can take place. Movement of these plates is called seismic activity which is known as an earthquake. 

Reasons - occurrence of most of the earthquakes along tectonic plate boundaries: 

The majority of seismic activity takes place at divergent, transform, and convergent plate boundaries. 

• At Divergent Boundaries: As tectonic plates pull apart from each other, the energy from underneath finds a way to come out, causing an earthquake to hit along the rift.  

• For example, earthquakes in the mid-Atlantic region near the equator. 

• At Transform Boundaries: As tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other; parts of these plates get stuck at the places where they touch. Stress builds in those areas which causes the rock to break or slip, suddenly lurching the plates forward and causing earthquakes. 

• For example, the San Andreas Fault. 

• At Convergent Boundaries: As tectonic plates crash into each other, the heavier plate slips under the lighter plate, creating a deep trench. Such subduction can cause earthquakes.  

• Example: Earthquakes in the Himalaya, the Caribbean and Central America region. 

Reasons - earthquake in Turkey was devastating: 

• Multiple factors led to this earthquake being so devastating, like fault lines, unsafe buildings, heavily populated region and delayed rescue missions. 
• Seismic fault line: Turkey lies along one of the world’s most seismically active zone, called the Anatolia tectonic block. The seismicity in this region is a result of interactions between the African, Eurasian, and Arabian plates. 
• Shallow depth: The present earthquakes emerged from relatively shallow depths. Shallow earthquakes are generally more devastating because they carry greater energy when they emerge on the surface. 

Case study: The Japanese model of earthquake resistance is known for its unique and innovative approaches to mitigating the effects of seismic events. It is based on multiple lines of defence, flexible bearing system, extensive laboratory experiments etc. 

Despite being a catastrophe for humanity, earthquakes that occur under the oceans provide insight into how plate tectonics impact the expansion of the seafloor. Furthermore, the concentration of earthquakes in particular areas enable us to determine the type, speed, and direction of the plate. This is quite significant in terms of plate boundaries.