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Kunlun Fault | John Seach
The Kunlun Fault is one of the gigantic strike-slip faults that bound the north side of Tibet. Left-lateral motion along the 1500 km length of the Kunlun has occurred uniformly for the last 40,000 years at a rate of 1.1 cm/yr, giving a cumulative offset of more than 400 m. The northern fault juxtaposes sedimentary rocks of the mountains against alluvial fans.
2001 Kunlun Earthquake
A Great earthquake hit the Kunlun Fault on November 14, 2001. At a magnitude of 8.1, it produced a surface break over 350 kilometers (217 miles) long. Preliminary reports indicate a maximum offset of 7 meters (23 feet) in the central section of the break. This five-kilometer- (three-mile-) high area is uninhabited by humans, so there was little damage reported, despite the large magnitude.