1786 Kangding-Luding earthquake

1786 Kangding-Luding earthquake
Local date	June 1, 1786
Local time	Midday
Magnitude	7.75 Mw
Depth	20 km (12 mi)
Epicenter	29°54′N102°00′E / 29.9°N 102.0°E Coordinates: 29°54′N102°00′E / 29.9°N 102.0°E
Areas affected	Sichuan, Qing dynasty China
Max. intensity	X (Extreme)
Landslides	Many
Casualties	435 from the earthquake and about 100,000 from the failure of the landslide dam

Last updated January 02, 2023

An earthquake occurred on 1 June 1786 in and around Kangding, in what is now China's Sichuan province. It had an estimated magnitude of about 7.75 and a maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The initial quake killed 435 people. After an aftershock ten days later, a further 100,000 died when a landslide dam collapsed across the Dadu river.

Tectonic setting

Sichuan lies within the complex zone of deformation associated with the continuing collision between the India Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The thickened crust of the Tibetan plateau is spreading to the east causing the southward motion of the Sichuan-Yunnan block. The eastern side of this block is bounded by the Xianshuihe fault system, a major left lateral strike-slip fault zone. Movement on this fault zone has been responsible for many major damaging earthquakes,^[3] such as the 1981 Dawu earthquake.^[4]

Earthquake

An isoseismal map constructed for this earthquake shows that the zone of maximum shaking was elongated in a northwest–southeast direction, parallel to the trace of the Xianshuihe Fault. The magnitude of 7.5–8.0 has been estimated from the extent of the intensity VIII (Severe) zone. Remote sensing techniques, backed up by a field survey, identified a 70-kilometre (43 mi) long zone of surface fault rupture thought to be associated with the earthquake. The active fault segment has been identified as the Moxi Fault.^[2]

Landslide dam

The earthquake triggered numerous landslides, one of which blocked the Dadu River, forming a temporary lake. The dam was about 70 metres (230 ft) high, holding back an estimated water volume of about 50,000,000 cubic metres (65,000,000 cu yd). By 9 June the lake had started to flow over the dam and an aftershock on 10 June caused the dam to collapse suddenly, releasing the impounded water and devastating areas downstream.^[2] It is the second-deadliest landslide disaster on record, after the 1920 Haiyuan earthquake.^[5]

Damage

The earthquake caused widespread damage in the epicentral area. The city walls at Kangding collapsed and severe damage to many houses and government buildings caused 250 casualties. In Luding County 181 people were killed in collapsed buildings. At both Qingxi and Yuexi, parts of the city walls were destroyed and many buildings were severely damaged, causing further casualties.^[1]

The flood that resulted from the landslide dam failure reached the city of Leshan on 11 June, causing collapse of part of the city walls. Spectators who had gathered to watch the flood from the walls were thrown into the water. The destructive effects of the flood continued downstream at Yibin and Luzhou, with an estimated 100,000 people being killed overall. Local residents made a memorial tablet, describing these events, which is now kept at the Seismological Office in Luding.^[2]

Related Research Articles

An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those that are so weak that they cannot be felt, to those violent enough to propel objects and people into the air, damage critical infrastructure, and wreak destruction across entire cities. The seismic activity of an area is the frequency, type, and size of earthquakes experienced over a particular time period. The seismicity at a particular location in the Earth is the average rate of seismic energy release per unit volume. The word tremor is also used for non-earthquake seismic rumbling.

The 1991 Racha earthquake occurred in the province of Racha, Georgia, at 9:12 UTC on 29 April. Centered on the districts of Oni and Ambrolauri on the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus mountains, it killed 270, left approximately 100,000 homeless and caused severe damage, including to several medieval monuments. It had a magnitude of 7.0 and was the most powerful earthquake recorded in the Caucasus.

The 1868 Hawaii earthquake was the largest recorded in the history of Hawaiʻi island, with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 M_fa and a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The earthquake occurred at 4 p.m. local time on April 2, 1868 and caused a landslide and tsunami that led to 77 deaths. The aftershock sequence for this event has continued up to the present day.

The 1929 Murchison earthquake occurred at 10:17 am on 17 June. It struck the Murchison region of the South Island, with an estimated magnitude of 7.3, and was felt throughout New Zealand. There were 17 deaths, mostly as a result of landslides triggered by the earthquake. The rumbling sound of the earthquake was loud enough to be heard at New Plymouth, more than 250 km (155 mi) away.

The 1925 Dali earthquake occurred at 14:42 UTC on 16 March. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.0 on the surface wave magnitude scale and a maximum perceived intensity of at least IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale. It had an epicenter in the province of Yunnan in southern China and killed an estimated 5,000 people.

The 1948 Litang earthquake (1948年理塘地震) occurred on May 28, 1948 at 07:11 UTC. It was located near Litang, China. Now situated in the Sichuan Province, Litang County was then called Lihua (理化) County and belonged to the defunct Xikang Province. The earthquake had a magnitude of M_w 7.2, or M_s 7.3.

The 1879 Gansu earthquake occurred at about 04:00 local time on 1 July. It had an estimated magnitude of 8.0 on the M_s scale and a maximum perceived intensity of XI (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The epicenter was in Wudu District in southern Gansu, close to the border with Sichuan. It caused widespread damage and killed an estimated 22,000 people.

The 1918 San Jacinto earthquake occurred in extreme eastern San Diego County in Southern California on April 21 at 14:32:29 local time. The shock had a moment magnitude of 6.7 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). Several injuries and one death occurred with total losses estimated to be $200,000.

The 1988 Lancang–Gengma earthquakes, also known as the 11.6 earthquakes by the Chinese media were a pair of devastating seismic events that struck Lancang and Gengma counties, Yunnan, near the border with Shan State, Burma. The first earthquake measured magnitude 7.0–7.7 and was followed 13 minutes later by a magnitude 6.8–6.9 shock. Both earthquakes were assigned a maximum China seismic intensity of IX and X, respectively. An estimated 748–939 people were killed and more than 7,700 were injured in Yunnan. Both earthquakes resulted in $US 270 million in damages and economic losses. Moderately large aftershocks continued to rock the region, causing additional casualties and damage.

The 1973 Luhuo earthquake struck near the town of Zhaggo in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, China on February 6, 1973, with a magnitude of 7.6 M_s. The earthquake had a maximum intensity of X (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. It resulted in between 2,175 and 2,204 deaths and a further 2,743 injuries. Serious and widespread destruction occurred in Luhuo County.

The 1995 Menglian earthquake or 1995 Myanmar–China earthquake occurred on 12 July at 05:46:43 local time in the Myanmar–China border region. The earthquake had an epicenter on the Myanmar side of the border, located in the mountainous region of Shan State. It registered 7.3 on the Chinese surface wave magnitude scale (M_s ) and 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale (M_w ). With a maximum Mercalli intensity assigned at VIII, the quake killed eleven people and left another 136 injured. Over 100,000 homes in both countries were destroyed and 42,000 seriously damaged. Some damage to structures were also reported in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, Thailand. The low death toll from this earthquake was attributed to an early warning issued prior to it happening. Precursor events including foreshocks and some seismic anomalies led to an evacuation of the area before the mainshock struck. It is thought to be one of the few successfully predicted earthquakes in history.

The 2021 Luxian earthquake was a damaging seismic event occurring in the early hours of September 16 at 04:33 China Standard Time. The surface wave magnitude (M_s ) 6.0 or moment magnitude (M_w ) 5.4 earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 7.5 km and severe shaking in an area of 4,000 square kilometers was assigned a maximum intensity of VIII on the China seismic intensity scale. Three people were killed and 146 injured when the earthquake struck Lu County, Luzhou, Sichuan Province. At least 36,800 buildings were affected, 7,800 of them seriously damaged or completely destroyed, causing about a quarter of a billion dollars worth of damage.

The 1718 Tongwei–Gansu earthquake occurred on June 19, 1718, in Tongwei County, Gansu Province, Qing dynasty, present-day China. The estimated surface wave magnitude (M_s ) 7.5 earthquake was assigned a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme), causing tremendous damage and killing 73,000 people.

The 1850 Xichang earthquake rocked Sichuan Province of Qing China on September 12. The earthquake which caused major damage in Xichang county had an estimated moment magnitude of 7.6–7.9 M_w  and a surface wave magnitude of 7.5–7.7 M_s . An estimated 20,650 people died.

The 1654 Tianshui earthquake occurred on July 21 in Tianshui, Gansu Province, Ming dynasty sometime between 21:00 and 23:00 local time. The event had an estimated moment magnitude of 7.0 and was assigned a maximum intensity of XI on the China seismic intensity scale. Resulting in extreme damage and affecting at least four provinces, the quake killed approximately 30,000 people.

The region of Zhili was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.5 M_s or 7.4 M_w on June 12, 1830. The epicentre was close to Cixian, which suffered the most severe damage. A total of 7,477 people died as a result of the earthquake.

The 1923 Renda earthquake occurred on March 24 at 20:40 local time between the counties of Daofu and Luhuo in Sichuan, China. The estimated M_s 7.3 earthquake was assigned a maximum modified Mercalli intensity scale rating of X (Extreme). Severe damage occurred in Sichuan, killing an estimated 4,800 people.

The 1955 Zheduotang earthquake, also known as the Kangding earthquake occurred on April 14 at 09:29:02 local time near the city of Kangding in the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.0 and a surface wave magnitude of 7.1 and struck at a depth of 10 km. Severe damage occurred in Kangding with the loss of 70 lives.

On April 11, 1870, a moment magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Batang County in Sichuan, China. The earthquake had a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme). The earthquake and a large fire resulted in between 2,300 and 5,000 fatalities.

A M_w 6.7 earthquake struck Luding County in Sichuan province, China on 5 September 2022 at 12:52:19 local time. The epicenter was located 226 km (140 mi) from Chengdu, or 43 km (27 mi) southeast of Kangding. Ninety-three people died, 424 were injured and 24 remained missing. More than 13,000 homes and other infrastructure were damaged or destroyed. It was the largest earthquake to strike the province since 2017.

References

1 2 3 National Geophysical Data Center/ World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. "Significant Earthquake Information". doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K . Retrieved 26 July 2022.
1 2 3 4 Dai, F.C.; Lee C.F., Deng J.H. & Tham L.G. (2005). "The 1786 earthquake-triggered landslide dam and subsequent dam-break flood on the Dadu River, southwestern China" (PDF). Geomorphology. 65 (3–4): 205–221. Bibcode:2005Geomo..65..205D. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.08.011 . Retrieved 2 December 2012.
↑ Cole, S.; Xu Y. & Burton P.W. "Seismic hazard of the North-South Seismic Zone in China" (PDF). First European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology. pp. 1–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
↑ Zhou, H.; Liu H. & Kanamori H. (1983). "Source processes of large earthquakes along the Xianshuihe Fault in southwestern China" (PDF). Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 73 (2). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
↑ Schuster, R.L.; Wieczorek, G. F. (24–26 June 2002). "Landslide triggers and types". In J. Rybar; J. Stemberk; P. Wagner (eds.). Landslides: Proceedings of the First European Conference on Landslides. Prague, Czech Republic: A.A. Balkema Publishers. p. 66. ISBN 978-90-5809-393-6 . Retrieved 30 November 2018.. p.66

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[NGDC-1] 1 2 3 National Geophysical Data Center/ World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. "Significant Earthquake Information". doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K . Retrieved 26 July 2022.

[Dai-2] 1 2 3 4 Dai, F.C.; Lee C.F., Deng J.H. & Tham L.G. (2005). "The 1786 earthquake-triggered landslide dam and subsequent dam-break flood on the Dadu River, southwestern China" (PDF). Geomorphology. 65 (3–4): 205–221. Bibcode:2005Geomo..65..205D. doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.08.011 . Retrieved 2 December 2012.

[Cole-3] Cole, S.; Xu Y. & Burton P.W. "Seismic hazard of the North-South Seismic Zone in China" (PDF). First European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology. pp. 1–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2012.

[Zhou-4] Zhou, H.; Liu H. & Kanamori H. (1983). "Source processes of large earthquakes along the Xianshuihe Fault in southwestern China" (PDF). Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 73 (2). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2012.

[RybarStemberk2002-5] Schuster, R.L.; Wieczorek, G. F. (24–26 June 2002). "Landslide triggers and types". In J. Rybar; J. Stemberk; P. Wagner (eds.). Landslides: Proceedings of the First European Conference on Landslides. Prague, Czech Republic: A.A. Balkema Publishers. p. 66. ISBN 978-90-5809-393-6 . Retrieved 30 November 2018.. p.66

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Earthquakes in China
Historical	1290 Chihli (Inner Mongolia) 1303 Hongdong, Shanxi 1556 Shaanxi 1604 Quanzhou, Fujian 1605 Guangdong 1626 Lingqiu, Shanxi 1654 Tianshui, Gansu 1668 Tangcheng, Shandong 1679 Beijing, Hebei 1695 Linfen, Shanxi 1709 Zhongwei 1718 Tongwei, Gansu 1739 Yinchuan–Pingluo, Ningxia 1786 Kangding-Luding, Sichuan 1815 Pinglu, Shanxi 1830 Cixian, Hebei 1833 Kunming, Yunnan 1850 Xichang, Sichuan 1879 Wudu, Gansu 1889 Chilik, Xinjiang
20th century	1902 Kashgar, Xinjiang 1906 Manas, Xinjiang 1918 Shantou, Guangdong 1920 Haiyuan, Ningxia 1923 Renda, Sichuan 1925 Dali, Yunnan 1927 Gulang, Gansu 1931 Fuyun, Xinjiang 1932 Changma 1933 Diexi, Sichuan 1937 Heze, Shandong 1947 Assam 1948 Litang, Sichuan 1950 Assam–Tibet 1952 Damxung 1955 Kangding, Sichuan 1955 Yuzha, Sichuan 1966 Xingtai, Hebei 1969 Bohai Sea 1969 Yangjiang, Guangdong 1970 Tonghai, Yunnan 1973 Luhuo, Sichuan 1974 Zhaotong, Yunnan 1975 Haicheng, Liaoning 1976 Longling, Yunnan 1976 Tangshan, Hebei 1976 Songpan–Pingwu, Sichuan 1981 Dawu, Sichuan 1983 Heze, Shandong 1985 Luquan, Yunnan 1985 Wuqia, Xinjiang 1988 Lancang–Gengma, Yunnan 1990 Gonghe, Qinghai 1994 Taiwan Strait 1995 Menglian, Yunnan 1995 Wuding, Yunnan 1996 Lijiang, Yunnan 1996 Baotou, Inner Mongolia 1997 Jiashi, Xinjiang 1997 Manyi, Tibet 1998 Zhangbei 1998 Ninglang, Yunnan 2000 Yunnan
21st century	2001 Kunlun 2003 Bachu, Xinjiang 2003 Dayao 2003 Zhaosu, Xinjiang 2005 Ruichang, Jiangxi 2006 Yanjin, Yunnan 2008 Sichuan 2008 Yingjiang, Yunnan 2008 Panzhihua, Sichuan 2008 Damxung, Tibet 2009 Xinjiang 2009 Yunnan 2010 Yushu, Qinghai 2011 Yunnan 2011 Myanmar 2012 Yangzhou, Jiangsu 2012 Zhaotong, Yunnan 2013 Lushan, Sichuan 2013 Dingxi, Gansu 2014 Yutian, Xinjiang 2014 Yingjiang, Yunnan 2014 Ludian, Yunnan 2014 Jinggu, Yunnan 2014 Kangding, Sichuan 2015 Pishan, Xinjiang 2017 Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan 2017 Jinghe, Xinjiang 2019 Changning, Sichuan 2020 Kashgar, Xinjiang 2020 Qiaojia, Yunnan 2021 Dali, Yunnan 2021 Maduo, Qinghai 2021 Luxian, Sichuan 2022 Menyuan, Qinghai 2022 Ya'an, Sichuan 2022 Luding, Sichuan
By province	Sichuan Yunnan
Organizations	China Meteorological Administration China Earthquake Administration China Earthquake Networks Center China Geological Survey China International Search and Rescue Team