Geologists dismiss recent Myanmar quake as disaster

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) clarified on Thursday that the 5.4-magnitude earthquake centred off southern Myanmar was caused by a strike-slip fault at the Sagaing Fault line, and does not constitute a natural disaster. 

The quake’s epicentre was recorded at latitude 16.145°N and longitude 96.686°E, about 10 kilometres deep in the Andaman Sea. Reports from Thailand confirmed that tremors were felt in Bangkok, with some residents experiencing mild dizziness, similar to the previous incident on March 28.Pichit Sombatmak, Director-General of the DMR, said that several high-rise buildings in Bangkok swayed when the quake struck at 9.58am, approximately 200 kilometres from Mae Sot district in Tak province and 500 kilometres from the capital.

He stressed that the quake would not trigger a tsunami as it was caused by a horizontal shearing of the earth’s crust. “There is no need for panic. A 5.4-magnitude earthquake is not considered severe, though tall buildings with more than 10 storeys may sway,” he said.

Pichit added that evacuations were unnecessary as strong buildings remain structurally safe. He noted that minor aftershocks could occur within half an hour but would be weaker than the main quake.

Santi Pailoplee, a geology professor at Chulalongkorn University, echoed the call for calm. He explained that a quake of this magnitude is not categorised as a disaster.

“For an event to be considered a disaster, there would need to be building collapses and fatalities. At this level, people simply feel the tremors and remember them, much like in Japan where quakes are a regular occurrence,” he said.

“This incident is merely the release of accumulated energy along the fault line and is not an indication of a future catastrophe,” Santi added.

(2025/08/21-00:00)