Abstract:On March 17,1947, an earthquake of magnitude 7(3)/(4) occurred in the Dari area of Qinghai province. The epicentre was in the North border district of the Bayankalashan Mountain range. The intensity of the epicentre area is X. The direction of the long axis of the equiseismic line was N 50°W.The deformation band of the Dari earthquake was 150 km long. It consisted of a series of fault scarps, little upheavals, little segs and fissures and fractures. Having analysed characteristics of deformation band and composite laws of various deformation phenomena, the author judged that the direction of major compressional stress of earthquake province is NEE-SWW.
The trend and distribution of deformation band of this earthquake was in conformity with the Richa-keshoutan fractures of N50°W and fractures of NNW. Therefore, the cause of occurrence of this earthquake was the result of movement of the Richa-keshoutan fractures and NNW fracture, which still continues at present.