A slight earthquake of magnitude 4.2 Richter Scale with its epicenter inside Myanmar (about 13 miles north of Namsang), latitude 21.08°N, longitude 97.73°E, depth 10 kilometers, about 49 miles east-northeast of Taunggyi seismological observatory was recorded on November 13, 2019, announced the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).
“Earthquakes frequently hit near Namsang. There are Kyaukkyan Fault and small faults nearby. Quakes hit at Namsang mostly made by the small faults. Kyaukkyan Fault was not active for a long time now since its last jolt in 1907. Myanmar was hit by the quakes which measured up to 9.2 Richter Scale,” said Director General Dr Kyaw Moe Oo of the DMH.
An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves.
Sagaing Fault, which started from Putao, Kachin State to Motaband, is a major fault line in Myanmar. Moreover Myanmar has Kabaw, Kyaukkyan, Momeik and other 40 smaller faults.
Myanmar is listed as the most earthquake-prone countries and it has five major fault lines.
Earthquakes are measured as per following: 1 to 4.9 Richter Scale quake is called slight earthquake, 5 to 5.9 Richter Scale quake is called moderate earthquake, 6 to 7.5 Richter Scale quake is called strong earthquake and 7.6 and above Richter Scale quake is called major earthquake. Myanmar had been hit by a 7.5 Richter Scale quake.
