Why is eastern Gansu especially vulnerable to earthquakes?

Eastern Gansu is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes due to the region's significant geologic instability, which is part of a broader pattern of seismic activity across China. This instability is primarily driven by the constant northward movement of the Indian tectonic plate beneath southern Asia, a process that has thrust up the high plateaus and towering mountains of the Chinese southwest.12

The eastern part of Gansu is a major center for seismic activity in China, experiencing major earthquakes on average once every 65 years and minor quakes at least once every decade since the 6th century CE. The region's vulnerability is compounded by its geography; for instance, a violent earthquake in 1920 triggered massive landslides that resulted in an estimated 246,000 deaths and the destruction of numerous cities and towns.12