Mae Chan Fault
Mae Chan Fault is an east-west strike fault in Northern Thailand that leads into Western Laos. It was responsible for a 6.3 magnitude quake in Laos on May 16, 2007, that caused property damage as far as Chiang Rai[1] in Thailand. A part of it stretches from Mae Chan to Mae Ai for 40 km along the highway, then goes through Fang, Chiang Dao, Mae Rim and San Kamphaeng districts of Chiang Mai, to Mae Tha district of Lamphun.[2] A Japanese study found it is capable of producing a 7.0 magnitude quake.,[3] is considered as one of two the most "worrying" faults in Thailand.[4]
It is part of a roughly parallel series of faults that accommodate the twisting of the northern Sunda Block from northern motion of the Indian plate at the Sagaing fault and southern motion of China at the Red River Fault. Among the members of this set of parallel clockwise moving faults are the Jinghong Fault stretching from Kengtung, Myanmar to Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, the Nan Ma Fault, Muang Houn Fault, and Dien Bien Phu Fault.[5]
It has become "more active" since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[1] The 2011 Myanmar earthquake hit some 20–30 km north of this fault, most likely at the roughly parallel Nan Ma Fault,[5] killing well over 100 people.
References
- 1 2 "2004 quake activated more fault-lines". Nationmultimedia.com. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ "Small quake in Chiang Mai's Mae Ai area | Bangkok Post: news". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- ↑ http://eqtap.edm.bosai.go.jp/publications/EqTAP_ws/ws_1st/pdf/region_reports/lukkunaprasit_1st.pdf
- ↑ "Thailand Prepares For Earthquakes - Fester LIVE Udon Thani". Festerlivenewsudonthani.com. 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
- 1 2 "Earth Observatory of Singapore - Research on Volcano, Earthquake, Tsunami and Climate Change Science". Earthobservatory.sg. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
