Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, has once again experienced a tremor that shook the city. According to the National Centre of Seismology (NCS), an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 was recorded in the country. The earthquake occurred at 2:40 a.m. on November 16, as per Indian time. Being a shallow quake, with its epicentre only 10 km below the surface, it released energy very close to the ground, adding to local hardships.
The NCS shared this information on their social media platform X. According to the report, shallow earthquakes can cause significant damage because their energy reaches the surface directly. This results in severe shaking of buildings and increases the risk of structural damage.
Previously, a similar earthquake of 3.9 magnitude was recorded in Myanmar. This quake occurred at a depth of 35 km, the NCS had reported through a social media post.
Locals concerned after sudden earthquakes
The consecutive earthquakes over the past two days have raised concerns among local residents. The location of Myanmar on major tectonic plates such as the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda, and Burma plates means that the sliding of these plates frequently triggers earthquakes. Myanmar’s long coastline also makes it vulnerable to hazards such as tsunamis.
According to geologists, a transform fault line runs approximately 1,400 km throughout the country. The fault line, known as the Sagaing Fault, puts large parts of the country at risk of strong earthquakes.
Areas such as Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, and Yangon are highly vulnerable, and are home to approximately 46% of Myanmar’s population. A powerful earthquake in March 2025 killed 3,500 people. In 1903, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Bago was felt as far away as Yangon.
