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Myanmar Earthquake: Why is soil liquefaction the major cause of damage during the earthquake that resulted in loss of lives and property?
Water gushes out of ground after Myanmar earthquake in an alleged viral video. (Reddit)
Two devastating earthquakes that rocked Myanmar and its neighbour Thailand on Friday claimed the lives of more than 1000 persons with several thousands injured and displaced. Measuring 7.7 and 6.4 on the richter scale, the epicentre of the calamity was located in the central Myanmar, about 50 kilometre east of the city of Monywa. CCTVs and personal smartphone cameras documented the tragedy as buildings, shops, establishments, and a monastery came crumbling down while horrified people ran for cover to safeguard themselves. In Bangkok, high-rise buildings swayed due to resonance with seismic waves and several videos further captured swimming pool water gushing out of the edge of a tall structure onto the streets.
There is, however, a video allegedly from Myanmar that has intrigued one and many that captures a strange phenomenon. In the clip, water is seen gushing out of the ground. Those who came across the video speculated that the water pipes had simply broken in the area owing to the strong earthquake but others wondered if the water “pumping” out of ground was a direct result of soil liquefaction.
Soil Liquefaction
Soil liquefaction is a phenomenon when the solid ground starts acting like viscous liquid. This loss of strength can happen during an earthquake in water-saturated soil when the shaking of the ground leads to collapsing of the soil volume. The soil granules can now move freely, making the ground unstable. Any structure can come crumbling down if it is built on soil that is susceptible to liquefaction, thereby increasing the chances of destruction especially during earthquakes. “Buildings constructed on loose soil pitch and tilt easily when liquefaction occurs, since the soil no longer supports the structures’ foundations,” Brittanica noted.
“Poorly drained fine-grained soils such as sandy, silty, and gravelly soils are the most susceptible to liquefaction.”
News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the video
National Centre for Seismology (NCS), an earthquake monitoring agency located in India also noted that soil liquefaction was one of the major contributors to the devastation that has been documented in Myanmar and Bangkok in the past 24 hours or so. The agency reported that the earthquake-shaking frequency matched the natural vibrations of the buildings and structures that further added to the destruction witnessed in the regions.
Also Read: Explained: Why Is Myanmar Earthquake-Prone And What Is The Sagaing Fault?
What Caused The Earthquake?
Not only is Myanmar (Burma) one of the most seismically active regions in the world, it also is located on the Sagaing Fault. Sagaing Fault is a major fault located between the Indian plate and Sunda plate. It runs approximately 1,200 kilometre through Myanmar, placing the region in a moderate to high risk of earthquakes.
Aftermath
At the time of writing this, the death toll climbed to 1000 while 2300 were reportedly injured in the calamity. Blood was in high demand in the areas that suffered the most destruction, said the Myanmar government.
Operation Brahma
India has extended humanitarian support to Myanmar, sending the essential supplies to the country in a dire need.
“First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar,” Jaishankar posted on X.
You can catch all the live updates of Myanmar Earthquake right here.
