Experts from the Sichuan Earthquake Administration said that the earthquake occurred near the Moxi Fault, a segment of the southeastern Xianshuihe fault zone.[10] They added that it is unlikely that a larger earthquake will occur near the epicenter, but aftershocks would persist.[11] The Xianshuihe fault zone is a large active left-lateral fault that defines the margin between the Bayan Har and the Sichuan-Yunnan blocks. It produced destructive earthquakes in 1786 (M7.75), 1816 (M7.5), 1893 (M7.0), 1904 (M7.0), 1923 (M7.3), 1955 (M7.5), 1973 (M7.6), 1981 (M6.9) and 2014 (M6.3). No M7.0+ earthquakes have been recorded along the Moxi Fault since 1786.