Surface Rupture Reported After Magnitude 7.0 Baqên Earthquake in Tibet, China

Field observations shared following the October 22 magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Baqên, Tibet, China, report a surface rupture approximately 15 kilometres east of the epicentre.

Reported Ground Displacement

According to the account shared by @yangyubin1998, investigators identified around 3.5 metres of vertical displacement, with local left-lateral movement reaching 0.9 metres.

The account also reports sand liquefaction and ground fissures in the affected area.

Earthquake Linked to Normal Faulting

A preliminary analysis by the China Earthquake Administration’s Institute of Geophysics found that the earthquake was dominated by normal faulting, associated with stretching of the crust.

Separately, an official assessment published on October 26 identified a surface rupture zone approximately 25 kilometres long following field investigations across the earthquake-hit region.