The earth moved

[IvanV]

Occasionally we can see evidence of how the two pieces of ground actually moved relative to each other during an earthquake, across a very narrow fracture. The evidence might be in the form of a fence or a narrow stream that suddenly jumps some distance to one side, for example. I am aware of locations in New Zealand, where you can see cases where this has evidently happened repeatedly. I think you can probably find cases along the San Andreas fault in California.

Now, for perhaps the first time, or at least much the best example, we have real time video from a security camera of this actually happening, from the recent Myanmar earthquake. Two pieces of land move by about 2 metres relative to each other, in just a couple of seconds.

You can find it from about 6m20s in this Shawn Willsey youtube video. You don't need to see the long and boring preamble. He shows the video several times, and it is worth watching several times as there is so much going on.

[Martin Y]

Wow. That's really striking. It's so fast.

It gives you something of a sense of the vast amount of energy released to cause that much mass to accelerate in that fashion, and that all you can see on the surface is just the merest tip of the iceberg, so to speak.

[Grumble]

That’s a fascinating video. Thanks for sharing! I did geology GCSE, instead of biology, my kids were puzzled why so I might show them this.

[jaap]

Here is a clean version of the footage, played back at various speeds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OeLRK0rkCE

[eliot10]

Mother Nature: “You wanted a live demo of plate tectonics? Here’s 2 meters of proof in 2 seconds”.