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Great Sumatran Fault | |
---|---|
Semangko Fault | |
Location | Sumatra |
Country | Indonesia |
Characteristics | |
Length | ~1650-1900km |
Tectonics | |
Plate | Australian Plate, Eurasian Plate |
Earthquakes | 24 June 1933, 19 Sept 1936, 1943 Alahan Panjang earthquake, 2 April 1964, 1994 Liwa earthquake, March 2007 Sumatra earthquakes |
Type | strike-slip fault |
The Indonesian island of Sumatra is located in a highly seismic area of the world. In addition to the subduction zone off the west coast of the island, Sumatra also has a large strike-slip fault, the Great Sumatran Fault also known as Semangko Fault, running the entire length of the island. This fault zone accommodates most of the strike-slip motion associated with the oblique convergence between the Indo-Australian Plate and Eurasian Plate[1] The fault ends in the north just below the city of Banda Aceh,[disputed – discuss] which was devastated in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. After the December 2004 earthquake, pressure on the Great Sumatran Fault has increased tremendously, especially in the north.[citation needed]