The connection between seismic activity and climate change is well-documented. Everyone knows that earthquakes are caused by tectonic processes, but sadly, not many consider how these processes correlate to climate variables. With news of more tremors in the coming days, one might have expected the developed world to have lent a sympathetic ear, especially after the appeal of the UN Secretary-General, but business there is usual as always. When glaciers melt, the massive weight on the earth’s crust reduces, and the crust bounces back in what scientists have termed the “isostatic rebound.” The process has been known to reactivate faults and ignite seismic activity, which is associated with a higher frequency of earthquakes. A 1958 earthquake in Alaska, for instance, unleashed 30 million cubic meters of rock, causing a massive rockslide that crashed into the waters of the Gilbert Inlet, ending in the world’s largest tsunami run-up. Earthquakes in the Himalayas have also long been associated with heavy rainfall in the region. During the monsoon season, annual rainwater loading and unloading of the crust have been mirrored by earthquake activity in the region. While these motions may seem small and insignificant, over time, they can cause fundamental changes to the timings of earthquakes. An earthquake fault that is already on the brink of erupting only needs a small change in atmospheric pressure to fully set off. Given the relative infrequency of earthquakes compared to disasters such as floods or tsunamis, it could take several decades to quantify the exact technicalities of the relationship between seismic activity and climate change. But we cannot afford to wait that long. If today’s weather can cause earthquakes and magma to shoot up from the earth’s crust, it doesn’t take a seismologist to imagine how the Earth will respond to large-scale environmental adjustments that come with climate change. We must prepare ourselves for the unexpected. Indeed, it is our inability to anticipate these changes that have led to massive amounts of climate-related destruction such as in Syria and Turkey. We must acknowledge the detrimental impacts of climate change before we can move towards a climate-resilient future that emphasises preparation, adaptation and recovery. Increasing infrastructure’s resilience to climate change impacts should be a priority for governments all across the globe and can help protect lives and livelihoods and reduce direct losses as a result of unexpected weather events. *