Xianshuihe fault system

It forms one of a set of sinistral fault zones that help accommodate the eastward spreading of the Tibetan Plateau.

The main segments are the Dangjiang, Yushu, Ganzi, (or Ganzi-Yushu), the Xianshuihe, the Anninghe-Zemuhe, and the Xiaojiang faults.

At its western end it connects to the Fenghuoshan Fault, which continues on into a poorly studied region.

[7][8] This approximately 350 km long northwest–southeast trending segment is divided into five main sub-sections, from northwest to southeast, the Luhuo, Daofu, Qianning, Kangding and Moxi.

In detail there is evidence of an increase from the northwestern end of the segment, consistent with ongoing shortening within the Bayan Har block.

[5] A series of historical earthquakes have been associated with the Xianshuihe segment, the most recent events on each section were 1786 (M7.7 Moxi), 1893 (M7.0 Qianning), 1923 (M7.3 Daofu), 1973 (M7.6 Luhuo) and 2014 (M6.3 Kangding).

[11] Movements on this fault system have been responsible for many large historical earthquakes, with more than 20 events of magnitude greater than 6.5 since 1700.

[12] Some of these earthquakes have formed linked sequences, with each event being triggered by the previous one due to stress changes.