Moderately large aftershocks continued to rock the region, causing additional casualties and damage.

[4] Earthquakes in this part of Southeast Asia (the Shan Plateau) usually display focal mechanisms corresponding to shallow left-lateral (sinistral) and right-lateral (dextral) strike-slip faulting.

[7] Sinistral systems follow an east–northeast or east–west trend for several hundred kilometers, offsetting the Mekong and Salween rivers.

Forming in the early to mid-Miocene, this dextral fault has accumulated 17 kilometres (11 mi) of displacement.

[10] It was previously a sinistral fault as 30 km (19 mi) of left-lateral offset was observed in a batholith from geological studies.

[16] By 20 December, the Kunming Telemetered Seismic Network had recorded over 600 aftershocks greater than Ms  3.0.

The northeast border lie along the eastern bank of the Heihe River, west of Fubang Township.

[15] The evaluated Mercalli intensity in Chiang Mai was VI (Strong) based on some damaged buildings.

Lightly constructed homes collapsed or tilted due to damage resulting from the rupture.

[15] The intensity VIII zone extended from Gengma in the north to Yanshuai and Nuoliang Township in the south.

Over the next few days, international media reported at least 600 inhabitants killed, mainly in the village of Shanmato which was obliterated.

When the earthquakes struck, many residents were outdoors, which factored in the unexpectedly low death toll.

The majority of homes constructed of wood and mud, collapsed due to the extreme ground motions, killing its inhabitants.

[23] Over 1,000,000 m3 (35,000,000 cu ft) of rockslides damaged highways and blocked rivers, halting water transportation.

[15] Many buildings generally fared well during the earthquakes because of improved construction practices and seismic retrofitting works prior.

[31] In Thailand, additional damage occurred in Chiang Rai and shaking was felt on skyscrapers in Bangkok.

[32] Due to its remote location and the lack of communication and damaged roads, rescue and aid transportation efforts faced difficulties getting to the affected areas.

The governor of Yunnan Province, He Zhiqiang, along with several medical doctors were brought to the disaster scene.

[23] Several thousand troops and many military vehicles also visited the affected areas, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

[35] Much information about the earthquakes and its devastation were hidden by the Chinese government due to ongoing political and cultural reforms at the time.

[36] In the early decades of China's communist regime, the guideline was that natural disasters and accidents would not be disclosed unless foreign nationals were involved.

At a press conference following the earthquakes, officials disclosed that a magnitude 7.7 event in 1970 resulted in 10,000 deaths.

The World Food Programme and United Nations Development Programme said the nation encouraged international groups and governments to provide aid, and that plastic sheets for shelter, medicine and food were the most important items.