Magnitude 4.5 Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, No Damage Reported So Far

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake hit Myanmar on Sunday morning, with no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The event follows two stronger quakes earlier in the month. The country is seismically active due to its position on the Sagaing Fault.

An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 struck Myanmar on Sunday at 08:17 am, according to the National Centre for Seismology. The earthquake, with a depth of 100 km, was located at coordinates 22.16° N latitude and 94.51° E longitude. No immediate reports of damage or casualties have been received.

Recent Seismic Activity

Earlier this month, an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Myanmar on February 3 at about 9:04 pm followed by another quake of magnitude 5.3 at 9:21 pm.

Geological Vulnerability

Myanmar is vulnerable to hazards from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis along its long coastline. Myanmar is wedged between four tectonic plates (the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda, and Burma plates) that interact in active geological processes.

The Sagaing Fault

A 1,400-kilometre transform fault runs through Myanmar and connects the Andaman spreading centre to a collision zone in the north called the Sagaing Fault. The Sagaing Fault increases the seismic hazard for Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, and Yangon, which together represent 46 per cent of Myanmar's population.

Although Yangon is relatively far from the fault trace, it still suffers from significant risk due to its dense population. For instance, in 1903, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Bago also struck Yangon.

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