The Luangwa Rift Active Fault Database and fault reactivation along the southwestern branch of the East African Rift

Abstract. Seismic hazard assessment in slow straining regions is challenging because earthquake catalogues only record events from approximately the last 100 years, whereas recurrence times on individual faults can exceed 1000 years. Systematic mapping of active allows fault sources to be used within probabilistic seismic assessment, which overcomes problems short-term records. We use Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data analyse surface deformation Luangwa Rift Zambia and develop Active Fault Database (LRAFD). The LRAFD an open-source geospatial database containing traces their attributes freely available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6513691. identified 18 that display evidence for Quaternary activity, empirical relationships suggest these could cause earthquakes up Mw 8.1, would magnitude historically recorded southern Africa. On four most prominent faults, median height scarps varies between 12.9 ± 0.4 19.2 0.9 m, suggests they were formed by multiple earthquakes. Deformation focused edges Rift: occur along 207 km long Chipola 142 Molaza are rift border longest region. associate scarp with possible ruptures two 20th century Thus, reveals new insights into faulting Africa presents a framework evaluating future hazard.