DAMAGE INVESTIGATION AND SOURCE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE 2016 KUMAMOTO EARTHQUAKE

Abstract

 Approximately 28 hours later of the Mw6.2 earthquake which occurred at Kumamoto region on 14th April 2016, an intense earthquake with Mw7.0 hit the affected areas again, and JMA seismic intensity of 7 was observed. It is considered from a CMT solution and after-shock distribution that the mainshock of Mw7.0 was caused by ruptures of Futagawa fault. Strong ground motions were generated near source area and caused severe damage to many structures. The authors conducted a damage investigation along the Futagawa fault. Furthermore, we make a preliminary source model by the empirical Green's function method using forward modeling procedure. This paper reports structural aspects of the damage observed along the surface rupture of Futagawa fault in Nishihara village and characterized source model of the Kumamoto earthquake.