Shallow earthquake of magnitude 3.5 strikes Myanmar, aftershocks likely

A 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Tuesday, August 26, at a shallow depth of 25 km, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said, warning that the tremor’s depth could make it prone to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 3.5, On: 26/08/2025 03:03:25 IST, Lat: 22.62 N, Long: 96.17 E, Depth: 25 Km, Location: Myanmar.”

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because the seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to travel to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and greater casualties.

Another earthquake of 4.9 had struck Myanmar at a depth of 65 km earlier.

In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.9, On: 22/08/2025 10:26:19 IST, Lat: 23.37 N, Long: 94.07 E, Depth: 65 Km, Location: Myanmar.”

After the powerful 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude quakes hit central Myanmar on March 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of mounting health risks for tens of thousands displaced, including tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and vector- as well as water-borne diseases.

Myanmar is vulnerable to hazards from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes, including tsunami hazards along its long coastline. Myanmar is wedged between four tectonic plates (the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda, and Burma plates) that interact in active geological processes.

A 1,400-kilometre transform fault runs through Myanmar and connects the Andaman spreading center to a collision zone in the north called the Sagaing Fault. The Sagaing Fault elevates the seismic hazard for Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, and Yangon, which together represent 46 per cent of the population of Myanmar. Although Yangon is relatively far from the fault trace, it still suffers from significant risk due to its dense population. For instance, in 1903, an intense earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 that occurred in Bago also struck Yangon.

Another earthquake in Tibet

Apart from Myanmar, an earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck Tibet, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.

In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.3, On: 26/08/2025 07:34:01 IST, Lat: 30.06 N, Long: 84.41 E, Depth: 180 Km, Location: Tibet.”

Another earthquake of 3.4 magnitude struck Tibet at a depth of 98 km.