Mapping of coseismic landslides of 2024 wushi Mw 7.0 earthquake by using multi-source satellite imagery

Using high-resolution satellite imagery for mapping landslides induced by strong earthquakes around national border regions is of great significance for the completeness and accuracy of intensity assessment. We chose the M w 7.0 Wushi earthquake on January 23rd, 2024, in Xinjiang, Northwest China, as the target case. We extracted 7,782 coseismic landslides through manual visual interpretation, including 2,402 landslides in cross-border areas, accounting for 31% of the total. The coseismic landslides primarily consisted of shallow debris slides on bedrock slopes and small-scale failures on fluvial terraces, showing a spatially scattered distribution. The Environmental Seismicity Intensity (ESI-2007) scale was used to reassess the seismic intensity in the earthquake region, and a complete seismic intensity map was compiled. The long-axis orientation (NE-SW) of the isoseismal lines was consistent with the strike of the Maidan Fault, though local topographic amplification effects were observed. ESI-2007 effectively addresses the limitations of traditional intensity assessment in sparsely populated and border regions, where assessment targets are located in high-altitude, mountainous areas. The rupture scale of this Wushi earthquake was limited, representing a local stress adjustment event and only a portion of the Keping-Wushi seismic gap along the southern margin of the southwestern Tian Shan. Therefore, continued attention to the strong earthquake hazard potential of this seismic gap is warranted. The research findings provide a case study of rapid intensity assessment for strong earthquakes in mountainous regions.