China Quake May Produce ‘Large Aftershocks’
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The earthquake that struck southwestern China on May 12, killing more than 69,000 people, may produce “large aftershocks in the near future,” according to a study published in the journal Nature.
The 7.9-magnitude temblor, China’s most powerful in 58 years, increased the stress on faults in and around the Sichuan basin, which may generate aftershocks within months or years, says the study, written by Tom Parsons of the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, Calif., and colleagues.
“Given that delays of years to decades between mainshocks and large aftershocks are commonly observed around the world, identifying potential future rupture zones will be useful in focusing mitigation efforts,” Mr. Parsons wrote.
Earthquakes like the one that struck in Sichuan province are associated with aftershocks of magnitudes greater than 7, the study says. Temblors of that strength can damage or destroy buildings, bend train tracks, collapse bridges, and throw objects into the air, according to the USGS.
