A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Lushan County, Sichuan, along the same Longmenshan Fault system that caused the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Key Facts
- Date
- April 20, 2013, 08:02 Beijing Time
- Magnitude (China/Russia/Geoscience AU)
- Ms/Mw 7.0
- Magnitude (USGS/EMSC)
- Mw 6.6
- Aftershocks recorded
- 1,815 as of April 22, 2013
- Distance from Chengdu
- 116 km
- Fault system
- Longmenshan Fault
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The earthquake originated along the Longmenshan Fault in Sichuan Province, the same fault system responsible for the catastrophic 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Tectonic stress along this fault zone had continued to accumulate and release in the years following the 2008 event, making the region seismically active.
On April 20, 2013, at 08:02 Beijing Time, an earthquake struck Lushan County in Ya'an, Sichuan, approximately 116 km from Chengdu. Its magnitude was assessed at Ms 7.0 by Chinese and Russian agencies, Mw 7.0 by Geoscience Australia, and Mw 6.6 by the USGS and EMSC. Within two days, 1,815 aftershocks had been recorded.
The earthquake caused casualties and damage in the Ya'an region of Sichuan. The event underscored the ongoing seismic hazard along the Longmenshan Fault and prompted emergency response efforts in an area still recovering from the 2008 earthquake. The large number of aftershocks prolonged disruption to the affected communities.