THE SHORT-TERM VARIATION OF THE GROUND WATER LEVEL BEFORE EARTHQUAKES

The present author has collected from various sources the observed data of variations of ground water level before 54 earthquakes occurred in China for making a relatively systematic description and analysis, on the forms of the short term ground water level variations and their time-space distribution. Emphasis is laid on the facts observed from which empirical relations may be possibly found.It is pointed out that:(1) The anomalous lowering of the ground water level before earthquakes is the most common anomalous phenomenon (2) The spatial distribution of the anomalous variations of the ground water level is not the same everywhere, their forms are various-They can be generally observed but depend on the local geological structures, while the Soviet scientists believe the opposite.