Boconó Fault

The Boconó Fault is a complex of geological faults located in the Eastern Ranges of northeastern Colombia and the Mérida Andes of northwestern Venezuela. The fault has a NE-SW orientation; it is a strike-slip fault and has a dextral relative movement.[1] It extends over a length of 500 kilometres (310 mi). The fault, with a slip rate ranging from 4.3 to 6.1 millimetres (0.17 to 0.24 in) per year, has been active since the Early Holocene and earthquakes of 1610 and 1894 are associated with it.[2]

Boconó Fault
Falla Boconó
Map showing the location of Boconó Fault
Map showing the location of Boconó Fault
Location of the fault in Venezuela
EtymologyBoconó, Trujillo
LocationNorthern South America
Coordinates9°15′N 70°16′W
Country Colombia
 Venezuela
RegionAndean
StateNorte de Santander, Santander
Mérida, Táchira
CitiesCúcuta
Characteristics
RangeMérida Andes, Eastern Ranges
Part ofBoconó-San Sebastián-El Pilar Fault System
Length500 km (310 mi)
StrikeNE-SW
Displacement4.3–6.1 mm (0.17–0.24 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateSouth American
StatusActive
Earthquakes1610, 1894
TypeStrike-slip fault
MovementDextral
AgeHolocene
OrogenyAndean

References
  1. Audemard et al., 2006
  2. Audemard, 1997

Bibliography
  • Audemard M., Franck A.; Singer P., André; Soulas, Jean-Pierre (2006). "Quaternary faults and stress regime of Venezuela" (PDF). Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina. Asociación Geológica Argentina. 61 (4): 480–491. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  • Audemard Mennessier, Franck A. (1997). "Holocene and historical earthquakes on the Boconó fault system, Southern Venezuelan Andes: Trench confirmation". Journal of Geodynamics. 24 (1–4): 155–167. doi:10.1016/S0264-3707(96)00037-3. Retrieved 2017-06-22.

Further reading
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