Damage and geological assessment of the 18 September 2011 M_w 6.9 earthquake in Sikkim,India using very high resolution satellite data

Post-disaster very high resolution（VHR） satellite data are potential sources to provide detailed information on damage and geological changes for a large area in a short time.In this paper,we studied landslides triggered by the M_w 6.9 earthquake in Sikkim,India which occurred on 18 September 2011 using VHR data from Cartosat-1,GeoEye-1,QuickBird-2 and WorldView-2 satellites.Since the earthquake-affected area is located in mostly inaccessible Himalayan terrain,VHR data from these satellites provided a unique opportunity for quick and synoptic assessment of the damage.Using visual change analysis technique through comparison of pre- and post-earthquake images,we assessed the damage caused by the event.A total of 123 images acquired from eight satellites,covering an area of4105 km2 were analysed and 1196 new landslides triggered by the earthquake were mapped.Road blockages and severely affected villages were also identified.Geological assessment of the terrain highlighted linear disposition of landslides along existing fault scarps,suggesting a reactivation of fault.The landslide inventory map prepared from VHR images also showed a good correlation with the earthquake shake map.Results showed that several parts of north Sikkim,particularly Mangan and Chungthang,which are close to the epicentre,were severely affected by the earthquake,and that the event-based landslide inventory map can be used in future earthquake-triggered landslide susceptibility assessment studies.

Tectonic Mechanism of the Suining(Ms5.0) Earthquake,Center of Sichuan Basin,China

On Jan.31 of 2010,the Suining earthquake occurred at Suining City whch is located the center of Sichuan Basin.It is unusual for the strong earthquake to occur at the center of Sichuan Basin with a stable geotectonic environment and a low-level historical seismicity.The macro-epicenter of the earthquake is located at Moxi town of Suining city,Sichuan province,China.The earthquake intensity of the epicenter area is degree VII,and the long axis of the isoseismal line trends in NE orientation.The Suining earthquake caused the collapse or destruction of 460 family houses.The earthquake focal mechanism solution and records of the near-field seismographic stations showed the earthquake occurred at the reverse fault at a depth 34 km.Based on the waveform and focal mechanism,we consider the Suning earthquake is triggered by the reverse fault and not by the gravitational collapse or man-made explosive sources.Basing on seismic refraction profile and borehole,we consider that the earthquake is triggered by the backthrust fault of Moxi anticline rooted in detachments at a depth 3-4 km.Furthermore,we infer that tectonic mechanism of the Suining(Ms5.0) Earthquake is driven by the horizontal crustal shortening and stress adjustment on a shallow detachment after the Wenchuan(Ms 8.0) earthquake.