Myanmar hit by 6.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by a 5.3 tremor

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Myanmar on Tuesday, followed by a 5.3 magnitude tremor. The quakes occurred at depths of 27 km and 20 km respectively. The nation is highly vulnerable to seismic events due to its tectonic plate activity.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck Myanmar on Tuesday at about 9:04 pm, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 27 km, making it susceptible to aftershocks. The earthquake was felt at a latitude of 20.42 degrees North and a longitude of 93.88 degrees East.

Another earthquake of magnitude 5.3 struck Myanmar at 9:21 pm, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) website. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 20 km. The earthquake was felt at a latitude of 20.45 degrees North and a longitude of 93.86 degrees East.

Myanmar's Seismic 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. (ANI)

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