The Sagaing Fault, deadly earthquake and volcanoes inMyanmar: Geodynamic perspectives

Khin Zaw; Jung-Woo Park

doi:10.63335/j.hp.2025.0009

Abstract

The Sagaing Fault is a prominent, right-lateral strike-slip fault that extends approximately 1,400 kilometers through central Myanmar. The Fault is one of the most seismically active fault systems in world, with a history of producing large and devastating earthquakes including recent 7.7 earthquake that struck near Mandalay. Although the primary cause of the earthquake is regarded as being the result of a rupture that occurred along the Sagaing Fault due to the Myanmar plate and Sunda plate sliding horizontally past each other, we here discuss the other geodynamic factors on the deadly nature of the Earthquake. Preparedness in advance is key to staying safe and reducing the damage caused by natural hazards. Ongoing scientific research and regular monitoring are also crucial for spotting early warning signs of natural hazards like earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Given the easy accessibility along the Sagaing Fault and volcanoe area such as the Mt. Popa region, further integrated research combining seismic, volcanological, petrological and tectonic studies is strongly encouraged and highly warranted.

References

1.
Belousov, A., Belousova, M., Zaw, K., Streck, M.J., Bindeman, I., Meffre, S., Vasconcelos, P., 2018. Holocene eruptions of MT. Popa, Myanmar: volcanological evidence of the ongoing subduction of Indian plate along Arakan Trench. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 360, 126–138. doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2018.06.010.
2.
Bryant, E., 2005. Natural Hazards. 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
3.
Chhibber, H.L., 1934. Geology of Burma. Macmillan, London.
4.
Curray, J.R., 2005. Tectonics and history of the Andaman sea region. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 25(1), 187–232. doi:10.1016/j. jseaes.2004.01.009.
5.
Lee, H.Y., Chung, S.L., Yang, H.M., 2016. Late Cenozoic volcanism in central Myanmar: geochemical characteristics and geodynamic significance. Lithos 245, 174–190. doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2015.09.018.
6.
Maury, R.C., Pubellier, M., Rangin, C., Wulput, L., Cotton, J., Socquet, A.,
7.
Bellon, H., Guillaud, J.P., Htun, H.M., 2004. Quaternary calc-alkaline and alkaline volcanism in a hyper oblique convergence setting, central Myanmar and western Yunnan. Bulletin de la Societe Geologique de France 175, 461–472. doi:10.2113/175.5.461.
8.
Sano, T., Tani, K., Yoneda, S., Min, H., Htike, T., Thein, Z.M.M., Ishizuka, O., Kusuhashi, N., Kono, R.T., Takai, M., Conway, C.E., 2022. Petrogenesis of isotopically enriched Quaternary magma with adakitic affinity associated with subduction of old lithosphere beneath central Myanmar. Scientific Reports 12, 3137. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-07097-4.
9.
Sloan, R.A., Elliott, J.R., Searle, M.P., Morley, C.K., 2017. Chapter 2: active tectonics of Myanmar and the Andaman Sea. volume 48. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, p. 19–52. doi:10.1144/m48.2.
10.
Socquet, A., Vigny, C., Chamot-Rooke, N., Simons, W., Rangin, C., Ambrosius, B., 2006. India and Sunda plates motion and deformation along their boundary in Myanmar determined by GPS. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 111, doi:10.1029/2005JB003877.
11.
Steckler, M.S., Mondal, D.R., Akhter, S.H., Seeber, L., Feng, L., Gale, J., Hill, E.M., Howe, M., 2016. Locked and loading megathrust linked to active subduction beneath the Indo-Burman ranges. Nature Geoscience 9, 615–618. doi:10.1038/ngeo2760.
12.
Stephenson, D., Marshall, T.R., 1984. The petrology and mineralogy of MT. Popa Volcano and the nature of the late-Cenozoic Burma Volcanic Arc. Journal of the Geological Society, London 141, 747–762. doi:10.1144/gsjgs.141.4.0747.
13.
Swe, W., 1972. Strike-slip faulting in Central Belt of Burma, in: Halle, N.S. (Ed.), Regional Conf. Geology Mineral Resources Southeast Asia. Annex. Geol Soc. Malaysia Newsletter No, 34 (abstract).
14.
Swe, W., 1981. A major strike–slip fault in Burma contrib. Burmese Geology 1, 63–74.
15.
Tapponnier, P., Peltzer, G.L., Le Dain, A.Y., Armijo, R., Cobbold, P., 1982. Propagating extrusion tectonics in Asia: new insights from simple experiments with plasticine. Geology 10(12), 611–616. doi:10.1130/ 0091-7613(1982)10<611:PETIAN>2.0.CO;2.
16.
Thein, M., 1973. A preliminary synthesis of the geological evolution of Burma with reference to the tectonic development of southeast Asia. Geological Society of Malaysia Bulletin 6, 87–116. doi:10.7186/ bgsm06197307.
17.
Tun, S.T., Watkinson, I.M., 2017. The Sagaing fault, Myanmar, in: Barber, A.J., Zaw, K., Crow, M.J. (Eds.), Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, Myanmar. volume 48, pp. 413–441. doi:10.1144/M48.19.
18.
UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction). 2015. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. United Nations. URL:https://www.undrr.org/publication/sendai-frameworkdisaster-risk-reduction-2015-2030.
19.
Vigny, C., Socquet, A., Rangin, C., Chamot-Rooke, N., Pubellier, M., Bouin, M.N., Becker, M., 2003. Present-day crustal deformation around sagaing fault, Myanmar. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 108, 2533. doi:10.1029/2002JB.
20.
Wang, Y., Sieh, K., Tun, S.T., Lai, K.-Y., Myint, T., 2014. Active tectonics and earthquake potential of the Myanmar region. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 119, 3767–3822. doi:10.1002/2013JB010762.
21.
Yang, S., Liang, X., Jiang, M., Chen, L., He, Y., Mon, C.T., Hou, G., Thant, M., Sein, K., Bo Wan, B., 2022. Slab remnants beneath the Myanmar terrane evidencing double subduction of the Neo-Tethyan Ocean. Science Advances 8(34), eabo1027. doi:10.1126/sciadv.abo1027.
22.
Zaw, K., 2017. Overview of mineralization styles and tectonic metallogenic setting in Myanmar, in: Barber, A.J., Zaw, K., Crow, M.J. (Eds.), Myanmar: Geology, Resources and Tectonics. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, Myanmar. volume 48, pp. 531–556. doi:10.1144/M48.24.

Scilight Press

Author Information

Abstract

Keywords

References

About Scilight

Journals

Publishing Policies

Contact Us