An earthquake with 7. 7 magnitude hit central Myanmar on March 28. The tremour was recorded at a depth of 10 kilometres. Mandalay, which is the country’s second-largest city, had experienced intense shaking, while tremours were felt in China and Thailand. A second earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 followed some minutes later. Several aftershocks between magnitudes 4.4 and 4.9 were recorded as well. Reports stated that at least 144 people lost their lives. 732 others were injured. Buildings collapsed across affected regions. It included a monastery, a high-rise under-construction building in Bangkok, resulting in 10 deaths. Sixteen people were injured. 101 people still remain missing.
Sagaing Fault Identified as the Source
According to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake originated from the Sagaing Fault. This fault extends over 1,600 kilometres through Myanmar towards the Andaman Sea. Earthquakes along this fault occur due to horizontal movement of landmasses, classifying them as strike-slip events. A similar fault structure is found in California’s San Andreas Fault. Gregory Beroza, Professor of Geophysics at Stanford University, told Live Science that given the earthquake’s size, the tremors’ reach was expected.
Seismic Activity Linked to Plate Movements
Reports indicate that Myanmar’s seismic activity is influenced by the ongoing movement of the Indian Plate. Ben van der Pluijm, Professor Emeritus of Geology at the University of Michigan, told Live Science that India has been pushing northward for millions of years. Significant seismic stress has resulted from its collision with the Eurasian Plate. Major earthquakes release the energy that has been accumulated by this constant motion.
Likeness to Previous Earthquakes
Jeffrey Park, a Yale University professor of earth and planetary sciences, told Live Science that the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Myanmar were similar. The event was extremely destructive because of the shallow depth and heavily populated areas. According to USGS data, at least six earthquakes with a magnitude of seven or higher have happened within 250 kilometres of the most recent one since 1900. The most severe occurred in 1912 and had a magnitude of 7.9.
Authorities are still evaluating the full extent of the damage as rescue efforts continue.
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