Surface rupture

[6] In surface rupture earthquakes, the large slips of land are concentrated in the shallow parts of the fault.

[7] And, notably, permanent ground displacements which are measureable can be produced by shallow earthquakes, of magnitude M5 and greater.

Where there are thick superficial deposits overlying the trace of the faults, the resulting surface effects are typically more discontinuous.

Where there are significant superficial deposits, sections with more oblique faulting may form sets of en-echelon scarp segments.

Additionally, where there are thick superficial deposits, the rupture typically appears as a set of en-echelon faults.

Surface rupture caused by normal faulting along the Lost River Fault , during the 1983 Borah Peak earthquake
Surface rupture with folding due to reverse faulting along the Chelungpu Fault during the 1999 Jiji earthquake , Taiwan
Consequences of the Chi-Chi earthquake , Jiji , Nantou County , Taiwan
Extent of surface rupture caused by strike-slip faulting during the 2002 Denali earthquake