Although less frequent, impactful moderate magnitude co-seismic surface rupturing earthquakes occur in intraplate and low strain regions, demonstrating that faults in those regions are capable of hosting moderate-size to large damaging earthquakes. Nonetheless, fault activity and seismicity are generally difficult to assess: at these settings, surface processes rates may erase or bury evidence, and deformation may also be accommodated by reactivation of exhumed older fault systems, generally with wide fault zones, favoring distributed brittle deformation within a previously deformed bedrock, thus masking subtle Quaternary deformation. Furthermore, sparse seismic and geodetic networks limit correlation of seismicity and surface deformation with structures.

Evidence for long-term deformation, provided through geomorphic analyses and detailed geologic and paleoseismologic studies combined with geochronology and geophysical data, are a key to recognize a built-in imprint of deformation through time, and to corroborate tectonic activity. These are crucial to reveal Quaternary cryptic structures, constrain regions with seismogenic potential and required to understand distributed Quaternary deformation. Short-term activity and deformation can be investigated using dense local seismic networks, which may further help to associate local instrumental seismicity with faults localization. Depending on the strain and period of observation, remote sensing and geodesy may also highlight noteworthy regions.