Garrapatas Fault Zone

The Garrapatas Fault (Zone) (Spanish: (Zona de) Falla(s) de Garrapatas) is an inactive dextral oblique thrust fault in the departments of Chocó and Valle del Cauca in Colombia. The fault has a total length of 138 kilometres (86 mi) and is crescent-shaped, running along an average east-northeast to west-southwest strike of 060.8 ± 14 in the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes.

Garrapatas Fault
Falla de Garrapatas
EtymologyGarrapatas River
Coordinates04°24′47″N 76°30′06″W
Country Colombia
RegionAndean, Pacific/Chocó
StateChocó, Valle del Cauca
Characteristics
RangeSerranía de Los Paraguas & Western Ranges, Andes
Part ofAndean oblique faults
Length138 km (86 mi)
Strike060.8 ± 14
DipNorthwest
Dip angle50
Displacement<0.2 mm (0.0079 in)/yr
Tectonics
PlateNorth Andean
StatusInactive
TypeOblique thrust fault
MovementDextral reverse
AgeQuaternary
OrogenyAndean

Etymology

The fault is named after the Garrapatas River.[1]

Description

The Garrapatas Fault runs between the axis of the Western Ranges of the Colombian Andes and the Serranía de Los Paraguas, to the west of the city of Buga. The fault displaces oceanic volcanic and sedimentary rocks and has a very well developed V-shaped valley along the upper parts of the Garrapatas and Las Vueltas Rivers and probably connects with the Argelia Fault. It causes alignment of drainage and parallel streams. Dextral movement in this fault is an exception to the common sinistral (left-lateral) movement of north-south trending faults in the region.[1]

See also

References
  1. Paris et al., 2000, p.52

Bibliography

Maps
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