Previous Works

The study region (3° - 5°N, 76° - 78°W; SW of Colombia), characterized by humid tropical mountain weather, has been struck by several earthquakes in historical times, without reported surface ruptures. The Quaternary active faulting is essentially established from geomorphological evidence (Woodward Clyde, 1983; Marín & Romero, 1988; París et al., 1989).

Seismological evidence suggest an East to West change in the N-S faulting dynamics (Meyer & Mejía, 1997).

This work is part of a larger project that pursues to make a comprehensive seismotectonics model of SW Colombia.

This study was conducted in the Western foothills of the Central Cordillera of Colombia, east of the town of Tuluá (Valle del Cauca Department).

The most recent shallow earthquakes that affected the region occurred in Popayán (marz 31, 1983, M=5.4), Páez (june 6, 1994, M=6.4) and Armenia (january 25, 1999, M=5.9). The return period on active faults is surely greater than the combined length of the historic (since 1536) and instrumental record.