Aftershocks likely after Myanmar quake
GFZ scientists said a series of aftershocks with magnitudes of between 6 and 6.5 is possible in the coming hours or days, with the quakes decreasing in number and strength over time. Alternatively, there could be a second strong earthquake, they said.
Heidbach warned that seismic waves generated by strong aftershocks could hit buildings that have already been damaged, making rescue work more difficult and dangerous.
The GFZ estimated the magnitude of Friday's initial earthquake at 7.6, with the epicentre at a depth of around 20 kilometres, according to its preliminary analysis. The epicentre of Friday's earthquake was near the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, but the quake was also felt in Thailand and other countries.
A second earthquake hit the area minutes later, measured at a magnitude of 6.4 by the United States Geological Survey.
The epicentre of the first earthquake was located on a fault that absorbs the movement of the Indian tectonic plate, which straddles the equator, Heidbach explained. He said the area is hit by strong earthquakes roughly every 100 years. Heidbach said it was too early to assess the consequences of the earthquake.
The quake was also felt in Thailand's capital Bangkok as well as in parts of China and India. There were no initial reports of injuries or deaths from those countries.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's ruling military general on Friday invited 'any country' to provide help and donations following a major earthquake that killed 144 people, warning there would be more deaths and casualties.
Min Aung Hlaing on state television said he had opened routes for international assistance and had accepted offers of help from India and the Southeast Asian bloc Asean.
The Red Cross in Myanmar has reported devastating damage following strong earthquakes. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has spoken to staff in the affected region, according to the IFRC programme manager on the ground, Marie Manrique.
There is great concern that dams on the Irrawaddy River may have been damaged and could break. According to Manrique, 18.5 million people live in the affected area near the city of Sagaing, where two quakes — of an estimated magnitude of 7.7 and 6.4 — were recorded.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around 1.6 million of the 3.5 million displaced people in Myanmar live in the region hit by the earthquake. "We are very concerned about the possible humanitarian consequences," said Manrique. "We expect a lot of people to be injured." — Agencies
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