Myanmar Thailand Earthquake 2025: Causes and Damage
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A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region near Mandalay on Friday, causing widespread destruction and shaking neighboring Thailand. The Myanmar Thailand Earthquake 2025 has raised concerns about earthquake preparedness and infrastructure resilience in the region, prompting urgent discussions on disaster readiness.
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Myanmar Thailand Earthquake 2025: Why Is the Region So Seismically Active?
Myanmar sits on the boundary between two major tectonic plates—the India Plate and the Eurasia Plate—making it one of the world’s most seismically active regions. The Sagaing Fault, which runs north-south through the country, is responsible for frequent seismic activity.
According to earthquake experts, these two plates slide past each other horizontally, causing strike-slip earthquakes. While such quakes are usually less powerful than subduction zone earthquakes (like those seen in Sumatra and Japan), they can still reach magnitudes of 7 to 8, enough to cause severe damage in urban areas.
What Made the Myanmar Thailand Earthquake 2025 So Destructive?
Friday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake was the largest to hit Myanmar’s mainland in over 75 years. Experts like Bill McGuire from University College London and Roger Musson from the British Geological Survey pointed out several reasons why this quake was particularly devastating:
- Shallow Depth: The earthquake struck at a depth of just 10 km (6.2 miles), meaning the shockwaves traveled with full force to the surface, causing more intense shaking.
- Proximity to Heavily Populated Areas: The Sagaing region is near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, making the impact on residential and commercial buildings more severe.
- Outdated Infrastructure: Many structures in the area were not built to withstand strong earthquakes, as the last major quake in the region occurred in 1956.
- Wide Fault Line Impact: Unlike common perception, seismic waves do not radiate from a single epicenter but spread along the fault line, affecting a much larger area.
How Prepared Was Myanmar for a Major Earthquake?
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, the estimated fatalities could range between 10,000 and 100,000, with potential economic losses reaching 70% of Myanmar’s GDP.
Despite being an earthquake-prone country, Myanmar’s building codes and disaster preparedness efforts remain limited, especially in the Sagaing region. Unlike areas in western Myanmar, which have experienced more seismic activity in recent decades, central Myanmar—including Mandalay—has not faced a major earthquake in decades. This lack of recent seismic activity may have contributed to lower preparedness levels, increasing the overall destruction and casualty rate.
Rescue personnel search for casualties at the site of a building that collapsed after a strong earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, earthquake monitoring services said, which affected Bangkok as well with people pouring out of buildings in the Thai capital in panic after the tremors, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 28, 2025….
What’s Next?
The Myanmar Thailand Earthquake 2025 highlights the urgent need for improved earthquake preparedness, stronger building regulations, and better emergency response strategies in Myanmar and across Southeast Asia. As seismic activity continues to be a risk, investing in earthquake-resistant infrastructure and public awareness programs will be crucial in reducing future damage and casualties.
Final Thoughts
The Myanmar-Thailand earthquake is a stark reminder of the unpredictability of natural disasters and the importance of disaster resilience. With the region’s tectonic activity, more earthquakes are inevitable, making it critical for governments and communities to take action now to prevent future tragedies.
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