Hmm, sounds like in your email above we are talking about different things: You are talking, at least in part, about different sections of fault: of course I agree that if one part of a fault breaks the part of same fault next to it will be made weaker(or, because of static stress changes, others in the area will be made weaker or stronger). I am talking about the same segment of a fault: do you really believe that a repeat of 2004 Sumatra M9.3 is at all likely? Or that either of the parts south of the equator that just broke will break again in M8s? I have been pointing out that there is a part between the equator and 1.6 or so south that has not broken and would have been made weaker.

See separate post with link to Sieh in new thread, above.
Chris