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Deadly Myanmar earthquake was probably a rare rupture, scientists say

‘Supershear’ quake moved fast and far, amplifying the damage and human toll.
By
  1. Alexandra Witze
Rescuers search for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed high-rise building that was still under construction.

A high-rise building under construction in Bangkok, Thailand, collapsed following the earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar. Credit: Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty

The magnitude-7.7 earthquake that hit Myanmar on 28 March has killed at least 2,700 people, with the final death toll expected to be much higher. The quake appears to have been a rare type known as supershear — in which the energy of a rupture moves exceptionally fast through the ground, amplifying the destruction.

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Nature 640, 296-297 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-00997-1

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