Watch: Ground-Shattering Footage of Myanmar’s Most Intense Earthquake Reveals Moment of Chaos

A recent video capturing a major earthquake in Myanmar might just be the first of its kind. The 7.7 magnitude quake struck on March 28, causing a significant ground rupture that can be seen tearing through the Earth’s surface. This event led to the tragic loss of nearly 5,500 lives, and the tremors were felt as far away as Thailand.

Posted by Singaporean engineer Htin Aung, the video was filmed at GP Energy Myanmar’s Thapyawa solar farm near Thazi. It shows a concrete-and-metal gate rattling and sliding open as the ground shifts. Twelve seconds in, a crack opens widely, visibly pulling the Earth apart.

Dr. John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Southern California, expressed his astonishment. "It’s unsettling," he noted, pointing out the rarity of such visual documentation of ground ruptures. Dr. Rick Aster, a geophysicist at Colorado State University, echoed this, calling it "the best video we have" of a surface rupture.

This quake occurred along the Sagaing Fault, where the Burma and Sunda tectonic plates slide against each other. The fault runs straight through central Myanmar, much like California’s San Andreas Fault. The rupture began near Mandalay and spread both north and south, cracking the ground along its path.

Dr. Aster shared insights about how these faults work. The layer where the fault slips extends from the surface down about 20 to 30 kilometers (or roughly 12 to 19 miles). Below that depth, the crust deforms instead of cracking, which makes it challenging to understand exactly how the dynamics play out during such events.

Seismologists often rely on GPS technology to measure movements in the crust. Yet, understanding the precise dynamics of these ruptures remains a mystery. The video could be a valuable resource for further research. It might allow scientists to study how the Earth responds in real-time during a quake.

As we process this information, it’s essential to recognize the human element involved. The earthquake’s aftermath has sparked numerous social media conversations, highlighting the need for better safety measures and rapid response strategies. Survivors and their families are left to grapple with not just the physical destruction but the emotional toll as well.

Overall, videos like this one could pave the way for more effective predictions and responses to future quakes, making our understanding of seismic activity even deeper.

For more details, you can watch the video here.

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