In the wake of the March 28, 2025 Myanmar earthquake: A detailed examination

Abstract

On March 28, 2025, a catastrophic Mw 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar along the Sagaing Fault, a major dextral strike-slip boundary between the Burma Microplate and Sunda Plate. The shallow (10 km depth), supershear rupture propagated over 460 km, causing surface displacements exceeding 6 meters and violent shaking (MMI IX) in urban centers like Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyidaw. The event resulted in over 4,900 fatalities, 6,000 injuries, and widespread destruction of infrastructure, including residential, governmental, and religious structures. Transboundary impacts were notable in Bangkok, Thailand, where soft-soil amplification led to the collapse of a 33-story skyscraper, claiming 29 lives. The earthquake highlighted systemic vulnerabilities in urban planning, historical preservation, and disaster preparedness, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and inadequate seismic codes. This multidisciplinary study integrates seismic, geological, and socio-economic analyses to examine the event’s mechanisms and consequences. Key findings underscore the role of oblique Indian Plate convergence (35 mm/year) and recurrent seismicity along the Sagaing Fault, with historical precedents dating to 1912. Secondary disasters, including infrastructure collapse and amplified distant shaking, emphasized the interconnected risks in tectonically active regions. The report critiques existing building standards and emergency frameworks, advocating for enhanced seismic monitoring, retrofitting of critical infrastructure, and international collaboration in disaster risk reduction. Lessons from Myanmar’s catastrophe provide a critical blueprint for improving resilience in rapidly developing seismically vulnerable regions globally.