Strong Earthquake in Myanmar
On Friday, a very strong earthquake of 7.7 magnitude hit Myanmar. By Sunday, 1,700 people had died, and 3,400 were hurt. It also disturbed electricity, phone networks, and internet services.
The worst damage happened in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-biggest city. Many old and important places, like the royal palace and the Ava Bridge, were destroyed.
The earthquake was so strong that people in other countries, like Thailand, China, Cambodia, and Bangladesh, also felt it. In Thailand’s capital Bangkok, which is 1,000 km away, a building under construction fell, killing 17 people.
Why do earthquakes happen?
The earth has three parts: the core, mantle, and crust. The crust is the outer layer, and it is made of large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move very slowly.
Sometimes, plates move past each other, and sometimes, one moves under another. When plates move at their edges, earthquakes and volcanoes happen.
Why did the earthquake happen in Myanmar?
Myanmar often has earthquakes because it is between the Indian and Eurasian plates. This is one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.
The boundary between the two plates is known as the Sagaing fault. It is a large fault that runs through Myanmar from north to south. It is more than 1,200 km long.
Experts say this earthquake happened because of a ‘strike-slip’ movement. This means two plates were stuck together while moving. When they suddenly moved, a lot of energy was released, causing the earthquake.
Because this earthquake happened only 10 km below the surface, it was more dangerous. In the past 100 years, Myanmar has had three earthquakes of 7.7 magnitude or more.
What happens next?
Many countries, like China, Russia, India, South Korea, the European Union, and the US, are helping Myanmar. They are sending rescue teams, food, tents, and medicine.
Groups like the United Nations and the Red Cross are also giving money to help people.
Myanmar has been under military rule since 2021. There has been fighting between the military and another group called the National Unity Government (NUG). But after the earthquake, the NUG stopped fighting for two weeks to help people.
