The 1917 Sichuan earthquake occurred on 31 July, in Yunnan Province, Republic of China, with a moment magnitude of 7.0, killing at least 1,800 people.
Tectonic setting Yunnan lies in a tectonically complex zone affected by the broad zone of deformation associated with the ongoing collision between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate. A rhomb-shaped fault-bounded block, known as the Sichuan-Yunnan Block, is recognised that is bounded by the active left-lateral strike-slip faults of the Xianshuihe fault system and the currently right lateral Red River Fault and Jinshajiang Fault.
Earthquake The earthquake had an epicenter located west from the town of Xunchang which is a part of the Yunnan Province. It had a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The earthquake was felt in Ludian, Hechuan, Hanyuan, Rong, Yibin, Dafang, Wutongqiao, Bijie, Weining and Huize.
Impact More than 1,800 merchants, including merchants, travelers, soldiers and local civilians were killed by the earthquake.
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