Blue, green, or violet lights have been observed in the sky before or during seismic events. These phenomena are referred to as earthquake lights (EQL). Earthquake lights are rare natural occurrences that have been documented for centuries. The underlying scientific mechanisms responsible for EQL remain undetermined.
According to the US Geological Survey, phenomena such as sheet lightning, balls of light, streamers, and steady glows have been reported in association with earthquakes. Geophysicists differ on the extent to which they think that individual reports of unusual lighting near the time and epicenter of an earthquake represent EQL.
Some experts doubt that any of the reports constitute solid evidence for EQL, whereas others think that at least some reports plausibly correspond to EQL. Physics-based hypotheses have been proposed to explain specific classes of EQL reports, such as those near the causative fault at the time of major earthquakes. On the other hand, some reports of EQL have turned out to be associated with electricity arcing from the power lines shaking.
EQL may be visible seconds or minutes before, during, or after seismic activity. Observational reports indicate that the blue glow resembles lightning, although its pattern differs from typical lightning phenomena. In some cases, the light appears to emanate from the ground, resembling electrical discharges from power lines.
Some experts suggest that when the Earth’s crust experiences significant stress during earthquakes, rocks containing minerals like pyroxene and olivine can generate an electric charge. This charge may travel upward, creating plasma in the atmosphere that appears as visible light. The phenomenon is linked to the piezoelectric effect and triboluminescence.
Earthquake lights are frequently observed in areas with major fault lines, such as Italy, Japan, Peru, and California. There are also unverified accounts of similar events in Pakistan. During the August 3, 2025, earthquake, many residents of Islamabad and adjacent areas reported seeing these lights.
Scientists believe that if these lights are understood correctly, they can come up as a new angle for predicting earthquakes in the future. But at present, this is just a rare phenomenon that is not always possible to confirm, because not every earthquake sees this light, and not every light is its precursor.
So, if you’ve seen a sudden blue or green light in the sky before a seismic event, you’ve likely witnessed a unique and complex manifestation of nature that science hasn’t yet fully mastered.
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