A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Myanmar at 10.36 pm (local time) on Friday. No injuries have been reported so far.Myanmar is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis due to its location at the convergence of four major tectonic plates: the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda and Burma plates. The continuous interaction between these plates, along with geological activity along the country’s extensive coastline, contributes to its seismic risk.The Sagaing Fault, a 1,400-kilometre transform fault that cuts through Myanmar, is a major source of this risk. Linking the Andaman spreading centre with a northern collision zone, the fault increases earthquake risks for Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago and Yangon, which together account for 46 per cent of the country’s population.Although Yangon lies at a considerable distance from the fault, its high population density makes it vulnerable to earthquakes. The city was significantly affected by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Bago in 1903.
