▁sequence ▁of ▁major ▁dam aging ▁earth qu akes ▁that ▁struck ▁the ▁area ▁between ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁ ▁T ect onic ▁setting ▁The ▁Kop et ▁D ag ▁mountain ▁range ▁lies ▁at ▁the ▁northern ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁complex ▁zone ▁of ▁de formation ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁continu ing ▁collision ▁of ▁the ▁Arab ian ▁Pl ate ▁with ▁the ▁E uras ian ▁Pl ate . ▁To ▁the ▁west ▁it ▁links ▁with ▁the ▁C au cas us ▁Mountains ▁through ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁Sea . ▁There ▁is ▁currently ▁about ▁ 3   mm ▁per ▁year ▁of ▁short ening ▁across ▁the ▁Kop et ▁D ag ▁as ▁a ▁whole . ▁The ▁Qu chan ▁F ault ▁zone , ▁tr ending ▁N N W - S SE , ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁a ▁set ▁of ▁active ▁right ▁later al ▁strike - s lip ▁fault s ▁that ▁accommod ate ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁short ening ▁across ▁the ▁Kop et ▁D ag ▁and ▁extension ▁along ▁its ▁length . ▁It ▁has ▁an ▁estimated ▁disp lacement ▁rate ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 . 5   mm ▁per ▁year . ▁The ▁damage ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁sequence ▁of ▁earth qu akes ▁that ▁affected ▁the ▁Qu chan ▁area ▁between ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁follow ▁the ▁project ed ▁path ▁of ▁the ▁Qu chan ▁fault ▁and ▁its ▁likely ▁continu ation ▁as ▁a ▁thrust ▁fault ▁in ▁the ▁At rak ▁valley , ▁where ▁it ▁forms ▁a ▁surface ▁ant ic line . ▁ ▁Earth qu ake ▁The ▁ 1 8 9 5