By Stephen Chen
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Beijing has 15 major active fault lines, more than double the previous count, according to a new geological survey commissioned by the government. A third were “strongly active”, suggesting a high earthquake risk, but when the next big jolt may hit remains uncertain.
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Beijing’s old town, including the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven, were also built on or near fault lines, but these fractures were generally very old, with some having been quiet since the extinction of the dinosaurs.
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Beijing is surrounded by other major fault lines. In 1976, a huge earthquake destroyed the city of Tangshan, less than 200km (124 miles) south of Beijing. More than 240,000 people were killed, making it the second deadliest earthquake in the 20th century.
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