Thailand and Myanmar Suffer From a 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake

Image via AP News

What We Know:

After the 7.7 magnitude earthquake centered in Myanmar struck, untold amounts of destruction were unleashed on Myanmar and the surrounding countries. It occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time (2:30 a.m. ET) at a depth of 6 miles around Mandalay. Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar. A 6.7 magnitude aftershock followed 11 minutes later. Public infrastructure damage was severe, as multiple roads, bridges, buildings, and dams were damaged.

Several geographic services warn that there is a high probability of casualties and widespread damage. In Thailand, Bangkok was declared a disaster zone after the quake made thousands evacuate their homes and workplaces. A skyscraper in Bangkok also collapsed while it was under construction, trapping many workers. At the time of this writing, 32 people are injured, and 83 are still unaccounted for.

Workers are using search dogs, mechanical diggers, and thermal imagery to find any of the missing people. Myanmar’s search and rescue teams have also declared that at least 1,644 people were killed, 3,400 injured, and 139 missing.

Crash Course Geology:

Earthquakes typically occur at up to 700 km (435 miles) below the surface, as opposed to this one, which happened 10 km from the surface. This means the earthquake has a greater intensity. The 7.7 earthquake also had more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

The earthquake’s shape on a fault also played a big part. This one was a straight fault, and that means that earthquakes could rupture over a large area and travel up and down its length. This is how Thailand was affected.