A world map shows the earthquakes recorded on March 11, 2014 and days prior
A cluster of earthquakes around the world hit just before the third anniversary of the devastating 9.0 Kobe earthquake that set off a Pacific-wide tsunami causing widespread destruction from Japan to California, and triggered a nuclear meltdown in 2011.

The first quake, a 6.8 off the Eureka coast on Sunday night caused little to no damage, but shook homes and rattled nerves around Northern California. Dozens of aftershocks, some approaching a magnitude 5 continue to move the San Andreas fault.

Another quake, initially a 6.8 magnitude as well, but later downgraded to a 6.4 hit Monday near the Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic.

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Monday north of Papua, New Guinea along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."