September earthquakes in Myanmar spotlight preparedness, and lack thereof

By Admin 26 Sep 2023

DMG Newsroom
26 September 2023, Yangon

People should prepare safety measures as there is always a possibility of earthquakes in Myanmar, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).

Four moderate earthquakes have jolted Myanmar so far this month.

Moderate earthquakes shook Hmawbi and Taikkyi Townships in Yangon on September 24 and 25, Bago and DaikU Townships on September 23.

There is a possibility of more earthquakes in Sagaing, Mandalay and Yangon Regions, Kachin, Chin and Arakan States, said Dr. Yin Myo Min Htwe, deputy director of the DMH.

“Earthquakes are different from other natural disasters. Earthquake activity is a natural disaster that occurs within seconds to minutes, so mainly buildings need to be constructed to be strong, and people need to know earthquake-related knowledge and emergency measures,” Dr. Yin Myo Min Htwe told DMG.

“No matter how developed the country is or how many experts there are, until today no one has been able to accurately predict earthquakes,” Dr. Yin Myo Min Htwe said.

Residents said that the people of Myanmar still lack the knowledge and methods to plan in advance regarding a potential earthquake disaster.

“I only knew one way to get out of the house because I was afraid that the house would collapse during an earthquake. I don’t know what to do because of my feelings of shock and fear during the earthquake,”  said Daw Htet May Daung, a resident of Hmawbi in Yangon Region. “I don’t know how to prepare for an earthquake, and I’ve never experienced any education from relevant people, so I don’t even think about a big earthquake.”