Secondary seismic fractures activated during the Wenchuan earthquake.

Abstract  Whilst the Yingxiu-Beichuan fracture is considered to be the primary seismic fracture of the Wenchuan earthquake, surface ruptures, geohazards, abnormal hydrological phenomena and aftershocks occurred not only along this central fracture but also along the so-called “secondary seismic fractures” parallel to it. The paper reports some of the geohazards associated with these secondary seismic fractures and concludes that the contribution of these is important in the overall scale of the effect of the Wenchuan earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]