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World » Magnitude 7.9 - EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA

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Magnitude 7.9 - EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA

2008 May 12 06:28:00 UTC

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Earthquake Details

Magnitude

7.9

Date-Time

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 06:28:00 UTC

Monday, May 12, 2008 at 02:28:00 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location

31.099°N, 103.279°E

Depth

10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program

Region

EASTERN SICHUAN, CHINA

Distances

90 km (55 miles) WNW of Chengdu, Sichuan, China
145 km (90
miles) WSW of Mianyang, Sichuan, China
360 km (220 miles) WNW of
Chongqing, Chongqing, China
1545 km (960 miles) SW of
BEIJING, Beijing, China

Location
Uncertainty

horizontal +/- 5.8 km (3.6 miles); depth fixed by location
program

Parameters

NST=228, Nph=228, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=1.43 sec, Gp=
29°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=A

Source

USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event
ID

us2008ryan

This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Did
you feel it? Report shaking and damage at your location. You can
also view a map displaying accumulated data from your report and others.

Earthquake Summary

Earthquake
Summary Poster

The following is a release by the United States Geological Survey, National
Earthquake Information Center: An earthquake occurred 90 km (55 miles) WNW of
Chengdu, Sichuan, China and 1545 km (960 miles) SW of BEIJING, Beijing, China at
12:28 AM MDT, May 12, 2008 (2:28 PM local time in China). The magnitude and
location may be revised when additional data and further analysis results are
available.

Felt Reports

At least 8,500 people killed. Felt widely in China. Also felt in parts of
Thailand and Taiwan.

Tectonic Summary

The Sichuan earthquake of May 12, 2008, occurred as the result of motion on a
northeast striking reverse fault or thrust fault on the northwestern margin of
the Sichuan Basin. The earthquake's epicenter and focal-mechanism are consistent
with it having occurred as the result of movement on the Longmenshan fault or a
tectonically related fault. The earthquake reflects tectonic stresses resulting
from the convergence of crustal material slowly moving from the high Tibetan
Plateau, to the west, against strong crust underlying the Sichuan Basin and
southeastern China.

On a continental scale, the seismicity of central and eastern Asia is a
result of northward convergence of the India plate against the Eurasia plate
with a velocity of about 50 mm/y. The convergence of the two plates is broadly
accommodated by the uplift of the Asian highlands and by the motion of crustal
material to the east away from the uplifted Tibetan Plateau.

The northwestern margin of the Sichuan Basin has previously experienced
destructive earthquakes. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake of August 25, 1933, killed
more than 9,300 people.

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Page Last Modified: May 12, 2008 18:31:16 UTC