Chengdu is located in a seismically active region and frequently experiences the effects of earthquakes, though the city itself sits on a stable tectonic unit within the Sichuan Basin. While there are no major fault lines directly beneath the city center, Chengdu is situated near the highly active Longmenshan fault zone to its west. The most significant event in recent history was the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which had an epicenter approximately 80 kilometers from the city; while it caused strong shaking and thousands of casualties in the broader administrative area, the urban core's stable geological structure and thick sedimentary cover helped absorb much of the seismic energy, preventing widespread building collapse. Travelers and residents may feel minor tremors or aftershocks from nearby activity several times a year, but modern infrastructure in the city is built to strict earthquake-resistant standards to mitigate risk. Experts classify the general earthquake hazard for the area as high, with a significant probability of potentially damaging shaking occurring within the next 50 years.