The landslide that dammed Mengda Lake was not triggered by the 1927 Gulang, China, M8 earthquake

The small catchment of Mengda Lake (700 m x 250 m, 20 m deep) lies in a mountainous area at the northeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Using sedimentary evidence and absolute age constraints, Wang et al. (J Paleolimnol 51:303-312, 2014) suggested that this lake formed in the early 20th century, perhaps as a consequence of a landslide associated with the 1927 Gulang M8 earthquake. I present evidence to question this hypothesis. Historical records show the lake has been in existence since at least AD 842, i.e. long before the 20th century, and thus its origin is unrelated to the 1927 Gulang earthquake. Documented damage from that shock supports my claim.