Yin Nwe Ko
ON 28 March 2025, just past noon, I had finished my lunch and was sitting on a small stool, looking at my phone alone. On usual days, after about 20 minutes of scrolling, I’d start feeling sleepy and often doze off. Today, though, I was waiting to see if I’d feel drowsy, but even after a while, the urge to sleep didn’t come, so I kept scrolling. Then, suddenly, I felt dizzy. Almost instinctively, I grabbed the table beside me with my hand and glanced ahead at the fluorescent light in the distance. I noticed it was swaying. It was an earthquake.
My little house is an old wooden one, so unlike high-rise buildings, there wasn’t much to worry about structurally. Still, I felt quite anxious because from where I was sitting, I could see the brick water tank in front of the house. The water inside was sloshing violently and spilling over the edges, which made me realize this was a pretty strong earthquake. What made it worse was that in my over 70 years of life, I’d never experienced an earthquake that lasted this long and kept shaking like this. I thought it might stop, but it didn’t – it just kept going. My head was spinning, and I couldn’t even stand up from the stool to sit on the floor yet. I worried that if the dizziness got worse, I’d be in real trouble. The sounds of people shouting and screaming from the neighbourhood around the house were also growing louder.
I managed to yell to my family to sit on the floor wherever they were. I live in a small town in the Ayeyawady Region, and the shaking lasted nearly four minutes, which felt tough to endure. In my mind, I couldn’t help but think, “If it’s this bad in my area, how much worse must it be near the earthquake’s epicentre?”
Earthquakes are indeed a tough natural phenomenon. While we humans can predict things like wind, rain, storms, or volcanic eruptions based on weather data, earthquakes are something we simply cannot forecast in advance. Because of this, there’s no time to prepare, and the losses tend to be significant. I started recalling what I learned about earthquakes as a kid – about what happens to the Earth when they strike. From what I remember and can share, it’s said that our Earth is made up of three massive layers: 1) the extremely hot core at the centre, 2) the mantle, and 3) the crust. The Earth’s crust, in particular, is formed of sharp, rocky materials. These rocky layers aren’t one continuous piece but are broken into separate sections.
These fragmented rock layers, or tectonic plates, aren’t static – they’re constantly moving. They don’t all move in the same direction or at the same speed, either. Because of this, when these massive plates meet, they push against each other, and that’s what causes earthquakes – at least in a rough sense. When these enormous plates collide, they can also get locked together in some places. Even when parts of them get stuck, the sections that aren’t locked keep moving in their original directions. The locked areas end up being pulled in opposite directions, like a tug-of-war, until, at some point, they suddenly break free. This release causes vibrations that ripple out as waves in all directions, resulting in an earthquake. That’s why the longer these plates remain locked, the more intense the earthquake waves become when they finally break free.
According to studies, about 90 per cent of all earthquakes that have occurred on Earth have taken place along the tectonic fault lines surrounding the Pacific Ocean, in what’s known as the Ring of Fire. The remaining roughly 10 per cent typically occur along a fault line that stretches from southern Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, across the Himalayan mountain range, through central Myanmar, and down to the Indonesian archipelago. The most powerful earthquake ever recorded in history happened on 22 May 1960, near Valdivia, Chile, in South America. It registered a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale and was so intense that, according to records, it resulted in over 5,200 deaths and missing persons.
On 28 March 2025, at around noon, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale struck central Myanmar, sending shockwaves through the region and beyond. The epicentre was located near Mandalay, a major cultural and economic hub, at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometres, intensifying the destructive force of the quake. This seismic event was caused by movement along the Sagaing Fault, a significant tectonic feature where the India Plate and the Sunda Plate slide past each other, making central Myanmar a known earthquake-prone area.
The impact in Myanmar was immediate and devastating. Initial reports from the country’s government indicated at least 144 fatalities and over 732 injuries across cities such as Mandalay, Sagaing, Kyaukse, and Nay Pyi Taw, though these numbers were preliminary and expected to rise as more data came in from heavily affected areas. In Mandalay, numerous buildings, including homes, a mosque, and a monastery, collapsed, trapping people under the debris. Roads cracked, and critical infrastructure like bridges and power lines were severely damaged, disrupting transportation and communication. In rural Sagaing, a 90-year-old bridge crumbled, isolating communities already reeling from years of civil conflict. Nay Pyi Taw, the capital, saw damage to government offices and religious sites, while hospitals in the region struggled to cope with the influx of injured survivors.
The earthquake’s reach extended well beyond Myanmar. In Thailand, particularly in Bangkok – over 600 miles away – the shaking was strong enough to cause a 30-storey skyscraper under construction in the Chatuchak district to collapse, killing at least eight workers and leaving dozens trapped. Thai authorities declared a state of emergency in the capital, halting metro and rail services as residents evacuated tall buildings amid falling debris and swaying structures. Tremors were also felt in China’s Yunnan province, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and parts of India, including Delhi-NCR, though the damage outside Myanmar and Thailand was relatively minor.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) described the quake as a “high-impact” event due to its magnitude, shallow depth, and proximity to populated areas. Early estimates suggest the death toll could reach into the thousands, with economic losses potentially surpassing Myanmar’s GDP. Myanmar’s government, facing an ongoing civil conflict, issued an unusual call for international aid and declared a state of emergency across six regions. Humanitarian groups like the Red Cross and the UN began coordinating relief efforts, though access was hampered by damaged infrastructure and conflict zones. In Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra returned to oversee rescue operations in Bangkok.
This was the most significant earthquake to hit Myanmar since the 1912 Maymyo quake of magnitude 7.9. The combination of outdated building standards, dense urban populations, and the country’s internal strife magnified the disaster’s toll. Aftershocks, including a notable 6.4-magnitude tremor shortly after the main event, heightened fears among survivors. As rescue teams work tirelessly, the full scope of the destruction is still emerging, leaving millions in Myanmar and Thailand facing a long and difficult recovery.
Here, I’d like to share some knowledge related to Buddhism regarding the causes of earthquakes, as it feels relevant to the discussion. In the “Bhūmika Sutta,” the Buddha is said to have preached eight reasons why earthquakes occur. These reasons may or may not align with the scientific explanations I’ve presented earlier, but readers are free to interpret and reflect on them as they see fit. The eight causes are as follows:
1. Earthquakes occur due to strong winds disturbing the water beneath the Earth’s surface.
2. Earthquakes occur because individuals with supernatural powers (Iddhi) cause the Earth to shake.
3. Earthquakes occur when a Bodhisatta (future Buddha) takes conception.
4. Earthquakes occur when a Bodhisatta is born.
5. Earthquakes occur when a Bodhisatta attains enlightenment and becomes a Buddha.
6. Earthquakes occur when the Buddha delivers the first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (the Wheel of Dhamma).
7. Earthquakes occur when the Buddha relinquishes the will to live (āyusaṅkhāra).
8. Earthquakes occur when the Buddha enters Parinibbāna (final passing away).
In the present era, since there is no living Buddha, Buddhist teachings suggest that earthquakes happen only due to the first or second reasons – either natural disturbances caused by winds and water beneath the Earth or the actions of beings with extraordinary powers.
As a final note, I’d like to share my personal perspective. In truth, I see the Earth as a noble being who patiently endures everything we do to it. It accepts all the filth and waste we discard without disgust or hesitation. It takes in all the garbage we throw away without a single complaint. And when we die, it’s the Earth that graciously provides a resting place for our remains. It allows us to extract whatever we desire from its core – its treasures like gemstones, iron, oil, and natural gas – permitting us to use them freely. But do we, as humans, truly recognize its kindness? Do we even know we should be grateful? So, I believe that perhaps once every century or so, the Earth shakes itself maybe as a kind of retribution to humanity or a reminder of its presence – by trembling its body. That’s how I see it, at least.
