Aftershocks rattle Myanmar following magnitude-7.7 earthquake

Twelve aftershocks have been detected following the magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday. The magnitudes of these aftershocks range from 2.8 to 7.5, according to Myanmar's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology on Saturday morning.

"This earthquake occurred along the Sagaing Fault in Myanmar, which marks the eastern edge of the Burmese Arc," said Jiang Haikun, a researcher at the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The intense collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate caused significant shortening of the lithosphere, forming the Himalayan orogenic belt. The Burmese Arc region, located at the eastern tectonic junction of this belt, experiences intense crustal deformation and strong seismic activity. It has developed a series of north-south-trending tectonic units and faults, making it one of the most seismically active areas in the Himalayan seismic belt.

"The Sagaing Fault is over 1,400 kilometers long with an average movement rate of 20 millimeters per year. The fault is highly seismically active, especially in its middle and northern sections," Jiang said.

He also noted that this specific earthquake occurred in the southern section, where no major earthquakes have been historically recorded. However, the surrounding area has experienced relatively frequent strong earthquakes, with 10 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or above recorded since 1900. "This earthquake featured a southward rupture process," added Jiang.

"This earthquake was a typical shallow-focus event occurring within the Earth's crust, with its rupture plane potentially reaching the surface, causing intense ground shaking. The region surrounding the fault is densely populated in Myanmar, and the collapse of numerous buildings has posed a severe challenge for emergency rescue efforts," said Gao Mengtan, an expert from the Institute of Geophysics at the China Earthquake Administration.

Gao added that, so far this year, global seismic activity has been lower compared to previous years. Given the current situation, it is difficult to say whether the Earth is entering an active seismic phase following this earthquake.

Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, the quake might trigger a local tsunami around the epicenter. However, since the epicenter is located outside the Pacific Ocean, it will not affect the coastal areas of China, according to China's Ministry of Natural Resources.

This earthquake marks the 17th earthquake of magnitude 6 or above globally this year. It is not only the largest earthquake to occur so far this year but also the strongest continental earthquake in nearly a decade, according to China Media Group.

On Saturday, a 37-member Chinese rescue and medical team arrived in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, to carry out international humanitarian relief efforts.