Abstract
The eastern parts of the Sistan and Baluchistan province, southeast Iran is a tectono-magmatically active zone that continues to witness numerous small and large earthquakes. The volcanism in this region is related to the subduction of the Oman plate below the Eurasian plate. The study of the spatial distribution of the epicenter and focus of the earthquakes suggests close association with the numerous faults related to collisional tectonics. Evidence of ground fractures and faulting related to Saravan earthquake of 16th April 2013 which is the largest (7.8 Mw) recorded earthquake in the region is documented. This earthquake occurred along a segment of the NW-SE trending Saravan normal fault and its reverberations were felt as far away as New Delhi and Dubai. En echelon, 2-km long, northwest-southeast trending surface fractures and faults are recorded in the field near Hampani village southwest of Gosht city. The epicenter is located in the remote hilly terrain east of Gosht. Many of the fractures are listric. The fault records a downthrow of about half a meter and some segments record brecciation of phyllite, liquefaction of sediments and emergence of saline springs are associated features. Despite the high magnitude only a few casualties and minor damage to civil structures were recorded in Iran due to the sparse population and its remoteness.
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Acknowledgements
MNS and RAD thank Mr. Mohammad Eslam and Haji Mohammad Ali Sepahi for their support during this study. We also wish to thank Mr. Shahid Saeed Dehvari from the Red Crescent Society in Sistan and Baluchistan, Saravan for arranging the field visit. We also thank Aristle Monteiro from Department of Geology SPPU, Pune for his help.
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Sepahi, M.N., Maskare, B., Boomeri, M. et al. Ground Fracturing Related to 7.8Mw Saravan Earthquake, Sistan and Baluchistan, Iran — Evidence for Brittle Deformation. J Geol Soc India 95, 343–349 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-020-1442-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-020-1442-z