Historical damages and secondary effects related to intraplate shallow seismicity of Central Western Argentina.

MOREIRAS, STELLA MARIS; PAEZ, MARÍA SOLANGE

Geodynamic Processes in the Andes of Central Chile and Argentina.

Geological Society of London

Año: 2014; p. 170 - 194

The Central Western Argentina is identified as the most hazard seismic zone of the country. Historical earthquakes with magnitudes higher than Ms>6 frequently occurred in this territory associated with the slab subduction segment of the Nazca plate. However, seismic hazard assessment is not fully evaluated in this region. Not secondary seismic effects of a potential earthquake with destructive consequences have been considered, neither existence of blind Quaternary faults. Neotectonic studies performed up to the present described those Quaternary faults evidenced by any surficial expression. Lacking on proper hazard evaluation disallow strategies to reduce the economic impact of drastic seismic event. Herein this chapter is focused on the impact of main destructive earthquakes occurred in Central Western Argentina in order to understand the outreach that have had these phenomena in the past and update the vulnerability of the region in the present scenario.