Three earthquakes jolt Myanmar on Thursday

ANI May 15, 2025 229 views

Three earthquakes under magnitude 3.5 struck Myanmar at dangerous shallow depths. The region remains vulnerable after March's devastating 7.7 magnitude quake displaced thousands. WHO warns displaced populations now face heightened disease risks including TB and water-borne illnesses. Myanmar's dense population centers remain at risk due to the active Sagaing Fault system.

"Shallow earthquakes release greater energy closer to the surface, causing stronger shaking" - National Center for Seismology
Naypyitaw, May 15: An earthquake of magnitude 3.3 on the Richter Scale jolted Myanmar on Thursday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

Key Points

1

Three quakes hit Myanmar within 24 hours at 10km depth

2

WHO warns of disease risks for displaced earthquake survivors

3

Sagaing Fault puts 46% population at seismic risk

4

Myanmar lacks national seismic hazard map despite vulnerability

As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.3, On: 15/05/2025 13:31:01 IST, Lat: 26.67 N, Long: 96.17 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Myanmar."

https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1922933604524621976

Earlier in the wee hours of the day, another earthquake of magnitude 3.4 struck the region.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.4, On: 15/05/2025 05:46:23 IST, Lat: 26.97 N, Long: 95.80 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Myanmar."

https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1922810687174119853

Another earthquake struck Myanmar on Thursday, the details of which were shared on X by NCS.

"EQ of M: 3.4, On: 15/05/2025 00:41:59 IST, Lat: 25.98 N, Long: 97.19 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Myanmar."

https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1922736023123149251

Shallow earthquakes like these are more dangerous than deeper ones due to their greater energy release closer to the Earth's surface. This causes stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties, compared to deeper earthquakes, which lose energy as they travel to the surface.

In the aftermath of the magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes that struck central Myanmar on March 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of a series of rapidly rising health threats for tens of thousands of displaced people in earthquake-affected areas: tuberculosis (TB), HIV, vector- and water-borne diseases.

More than 3.5 million people in Myanmar were already displaced before the earthquakes. Tens of thousands are now homeless, according to the WHO South East Asia statement.

Although Myanmar is an earthquake-prone country, there has not been proposed an official national seismic hazard map.

Myanmar is vulnerable to hazards from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes, including tsunami hazards along its long coastline.

The Sagaing Fault elevates the seismic hazard for Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, and Yangon, which together represent 46 per cent of the population of Myanmar. Although Yangon is relatively far from the fault trace, it still suffers from significant risk due to its dense population. For instance, in 1903, an intense earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 that occurred in Bago also struck Yangon.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Hope our brothers and sisters in Myanmar are safe. These frequent quakes are worrying, especially with so many already displaced. India should offer humanitarian aid if needed - we've faced similar disasters in Uttarakhand and Gujarat. 🙏
P
Priya M.
The Sagaing Fault seems really dangerous if it affects nearly half of Myanmar's population! Our NE states are also in seismic zones - maybe India and Myanmar can collaborate on earthquake preparedness programs? Knowledge sharing helps everyone.
A
Arjun S.
Shallow depth quakes are scary stuff! Remember how the 2001 Bhuj quake devastated Gujarat. Myanmar needs proper infrastructure to handle these - hope international organizations step up help. Our NCS does good work tracking these though.
S
Sunita R.
TB and HIV risks after earthquakes? That's heartbreaking. India has experience in disaster medicine - maybe our medical teams could assist? We share cultural ties with Myanmar, should stand with them in tough times.
V
Vikram J.
Interesting that Myanmar doesn't have a seismic hazard map yet. India's Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council could share expertise. Disaster prevention is better than cure - especially for our neighboring countries.
M
Meena T.
Three quakes in one day! 😨 Our Manipur and Nagaland must be feeling some tremors too. Hope our disaster response teams are monitoring the situation. Nature doesn't recognize borders - we're all in this together.

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Tags:
Myanmar earthquake National Center for Seismology Sagaing Fault shallow earthquakes WHO health warning