Latest news with #JoannaFaureWalker
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why was the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand so damaging as death toll crosses 1,600
A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 1,650 people in Myanmar and Thailand, leaving the region reeling as rescuers pick through vast piles of rubble to find missing people. Thousands streamed out of their buildings in scenes of panic and chaos after the quake struck at around midday on Friday, causing numerous structures to come crashing down in one of the worst earthquakes the region has seen. The scale of damage in Myanmar, which has recorded 1,644 deaths and 2,376 injuries, appears to be devastating. Religious buildings, roads, hospitals and bridges have collapsed, with the UN's humanitarian agency warning on Saturday that it was struggling to get aid to areas in need due to damage to Myanmar's infrastructure. In Bangkok, rescue efforts for dozens of missing people continued into their second day, after a skyscraper under construction collapsed in a huge plume of dust as onlookers screamed and ran from the site. Bangkok authorities on Saturday revised the number of deaths down from 10 to six, while 26 people have been injured and 47 others are missing at sites across the city. As rescuers continue working to save people trapped under the rubble, here's a look at how and why the earthquake happened in Myanmar. At around 6am GMT, a huge quake was recorded in the centre of Myanmar. The quake, which had a depth of 6.2 miles (10km) and was centred about 10.3 miles (17km) from Myanmar's second-largest city of Mandalay, was followed by a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock. Earthquakes strike when tectonic plates, the large rocks making up the Earth's crust, rub against each other. The USGS says the Myanmar quake occurred due to 'strike slip faulting' between the India and Eurasia plates - which Myanmar sits on top of. Sitting on the boundary between two tectonic plates, Myanmar is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. But earthquakes of such magnitude are rare in the heavily-affected Sagaing region. "The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country," said Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London. Plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes 'strike slip' quakes which aren't as powerful as those seen in 'subduction zones', they still have the capacity to hit magnitudes of 7 to 8. While Sagaing has been hit by several quakes in recent years, including a 6.8-magnitude quake killing at least 26 in 2012, Friday's event was 'probably the biggest' to hit Myanmar's mainland in 75 years, according to UCL earthquake expert Bill McGuire. The shallow depth of the quake meant the damage would be more severe, honorary research fellow at the British Geological Survey Roger Musson said. "This is very damaging because it has occurred at a shallow depth, so the shockwaves are not dissipated as they go from the focus of the earthquake up to the surface. The buildings received the full force of the shaking. "It's important not to be focused on epicentres because the seismic waves don't radiate out from the epicentre - they radiate out from the whole line of the fault," he added. Fatalities could range between 10,000 and 100,000 people, the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program said using data based on Myanmar's size, location and overall quake readiness. Infrastructure has not been built to withstand large-scale quakes in the Sagaing region due to the relative rarity of large seismic events - meaning the damage could be catastrophic. Mr Musson said that the last major quake to hit the region was in 1956, and homes are unlikely to have been built to withstand seismic forces as powerful as those that hit on Friday. "Most of the seismicity in Myanmar is further to the west whereas this is running down the centre of the country," he said.
The Independent
31-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Why was the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand so damaging as death toll crosses 1,600
A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake has killed at least 1,650 people in Myanmar and Thailand, leaving the region reeling as rescuers pick through vast piles of rubble to find missing people. Thousands streamed out of their buildings in scenes of panic and chaos after the quake struck at around midday on Friday, causing numerous structures to come crashing down in one of the worst earthquakes the region has seen. The scale of damage in Myanmar, which has recorded 1,644 deaths and 2,376 injuries, appears to be devastating. Religious buildings, roads, hospitals and bridges have collapsed, with the UN's humanitarian agency warning on Saturday that it was struggling to get aid to areas in need due to damage to Myanmar's infrastructure. In Bangkok, rescue efforts for dozens of missing people continued into their second day, after a skyscraper under construction collapsed in a huge plume of dust as onlookers screamed and ran from the site. Bangkok authorities on Saturday revised the number of deaths down from 10 to six, while 26 people have been injured and 47 others are missing at sites across the city. As rescuers continue working to save people trapped under the rubble, here's a look at how and why the earthquake happened in Myanmar. What happened and why? At around 6am GMT, a huge quake was recorded in the centre of Myanmar. The quake, which had a depth of 6.2 miles (10km) and was centred about 10.3 miles (17km) from Myanmar's second-largest city of Mandalay, was followed by a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock. Earthquakes strike when tectonic plates, the large rocks making up the Earth's crust, rub against each other. The USGS says the Myanmar quake occurred due to 'strike slip faulting' between the India and Eurasia plates - which Myanmar sits on top of. Are earthquakes common in Myanmar? Sitting on the boundary between two tectonic plates, Myanmar is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. But earthquakes of such magnitude are rare in the heavily-affected Sagaing region. "The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country," said Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London. Plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes 'strike slip' quakes which aren't as powerful as those seen in 'subduction zones', they still have the capacity to hit magnitudes of 7 to 8. Why was the earthquake so damaging? While Sagaing has been hit by several quakes in recent years, including a 6.8-magnitude quake killing at least 26 in 2012, Friday's event was 'probably the biggest' to hit Myanmar's mainland in 75 years, according to UCL earthquake expert Bill McGuire. The shallow depth of the quake meant the damage would be more severe, honorary research fellow at the British Geological Survey Roger Musson said. "This is very damaging because it has occurred at a shallow depth, so the shockwaves are not dissipated as they go from the focus of the earthquake up to the surface. The buildings received the full force of the shaking. "It's important not to be focused on epicentres because the seismic waves don't radiate out from the epicentre - they radiate out from the whole line of the fault," he added. Was Myanmar prepared? Fatalities could range between 10,000 and 100,000 people, the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program said using data based on Myanmar's size, location and overall quake readiness. Infrastructure has not been built to withstand large-scale quakes in the Sagaing region due to the relative rarity of large seismic events - meaning the damage could be catastrophic. Mr Musson said that the last major quake to hit the region was in 1956, and homes are unlikely to have been built to withstand seismic forces as powerful as those that hit on Friday. "Most of the seismicity in Myanmar is further to the west whereas this is running down the centre of the country," he said.
Arab News
29-03-2025
- General
- Arab News
The science behind the powerful earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
SINGAPORE: A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 centered in the Sagaing region near the Myanmar city of Mandalay caused extensive damage in that country and also shook neighboring Thailand on Friday. How vulnerable is Myanmar to earthquakes? Myanmar lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, although large and destructive earthquakes have been relatively rare in the Sagaing region. 'The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country,' said Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London. She said the plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes 'strike slip' quakes that are normally less powerful than those seen in 'subduction zones' like Sumatra, where one plate slides under another, they can still reach magnitudes of 7 to 8. Why was Friday's quake so damaging? Sagaing has been hit by several quakes in recent years, with a 6.8 magnitude event causing at least 26 deaths and dozens of injuries in late 2012. But Friday's event was 'probably the biggest' to hit Myanmar's mainland in three quarters of a century, said Bill McGuire, another earthquake expert at UCL. Roger Musson, honorary research fellow at the British Geological Survey, told Reuters that the shallow depth of the quake meant the damage would be more severe. The quake's epicenter was at a depth of just 10 km (6.2 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey. 'This is very damaging because it has occurred at a shallow depth, so the shockwaves are not dissipated as they go from the focus of the earthquake up to the surface. The buildings received the full force of the shaking.' 'It's important not to be focused on epicenters because the seismic waves don't radiate out from the epicenter — they radiate out from the whole line of the fault,' he added. How prepared was Myanmar? The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program said on Friday that fatalities could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people, and the economic impact could be as high as 70 percent of Myanmar's GDP. Musson said such forecasts are based on data from past earthquakes and on Myanmar's size, location and overall quake readiness. The relative rarity of large seismic events in the Sagaing region — which is close to heavily populated Mandalay — means that infrastructure had not been built to withstand them. That means the damage could end up being far worse. Musson said that the last major quake to hit the region was in 1956, and homes are unlikely to have been built to withstand seismic forces as powerful as those that hit on Friday. 'Most of the seismicity in Myanmar is further to the west whereas this is running down the center of the country,' he said.
South China Morning Post
29-03-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Why did the earthquake in Myanmar, Thailand cause so much damage? What science says
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 centred in the Sagaing region near the Myanmar city of Mandalay caused extensive damage in that country and also shook neighbouring Thailand on Friday. 1. How vulnerable is Myanmar to earthquakes? Myanmar lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, although large and destructive earthquakes have been relatively rare in the Sagaing region. Advertisement 'The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country,' Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London (UCL), said. She said the plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes 'strike slip' quakes that are normally less powerful than those seen in 'subduction zones' like Indonesia 's Sumatra, where one plate slides under another, they can still reach magnitudes of 7 to 8. 2. Why was Friday's quake so damaging? Sagaing has been hit by several quakes in recent years, with a 6.8 magnitude event causing at least 26 deaths and dozens of injuries in late 2012. A damaged road in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE But Friday's event was 'probably the biggest' to hit Myanmar's mainland in three quarters of a century, Bill McGuire, another earthquake expert at UCL, said. Roger Musson, honorary research fellow at the British Geological Survey, said that the shallow depth of the quake meant the damage would be more severe. The quake's epicentre was at a depth of just 10km (6.2 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). 'This is very damaging because it has occurred at a shallow depth, so the shock waves are not dissipated as they go from the focus of the earthquake up to the surface. The buildings received the full force of the shaking.' Advertisement 'It's important not to be focused on epicentres because the seismic waves don't radiate out from the epicentre – they radiate out from the whole line of the fault,' he added.
South China Morning Post
29-03-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
Why did the earthquake in Myanmar, Thailand cause so much damage? This what science says
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 centred in the Sagaing region near the Myanmar city of Mandalay caused extensive damage in that country and also shook neighbouring Thailand on Friday. 1. How vulnerable is Myanmar to earthquakes? Myanmar lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, although large and destructive earthquakes have been relatively rare in the Sagaing region. Advertisement 'The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country,' Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London (UCL), said. She said the plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes 'strike slip' quakes that are normally less powerful than those seen in 'subduction zones' like Indonesia 's Sumatra, where one plate slides under another, they can still reach magnitudes of 7 to 8. 2. Why was Friday's quake so damaging? Sagaing has been hit by several quakes in recent years, with a 6.8 magnitude event causing at least 26 deaths and dozens of injuries in late 2012. A damaged road in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE But Friday's event was 'probably the biggest' to hit Myanmar's mainland in three quarters of a century, Bill McGuire, another earthquake expert at UCL, said. Roger Musson, honorary research fellow at the British Geological Survey, said that the shallow depth of the quake meant the damage would be more severe. The quake's epicentre was at a depth of just 10km (6.2 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). 'This is very damaging because it has occurred at a shallow depth, so the shock waves are not dissipated as they go from the focus of the earthquake up to the surface. The buildings received the full force of the shaking.' Advertisement 'It's important not to be focused on epicentres because the seismic waves don't radiate out from the epicentre – they radiate out from the whole line of the fault,' he added.
