Irish seismometers pick up soundwaves from Myanmar earthquake
A strong earthquake that shook Thailand and Myanmar in southeast Asia on Friday morning was picked by seismometers in Ireland.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred at 6.21 am (GMT) and was measured at an estimated depth of 10km, approximately 15 km east of Myanmar’s second largest city of Mandalay.
It took 33 minutes for the sound waves to reach Ireland at 6.54 am.
Seismograms situated in Valentia, County Kerry, and Dublin showed sound wave readings over a 15-minute period, emphasising the magnitude of the earthquake.
At least 144 people have been reported killed and hundreds more injured in the earthquake, which was quickly followed by a magnitude 6.4 aftershock.
In Mandalay, a city with a population similar to that of Dublin, a local mosque was destroyed and the main University in the city was badly damaged.
Meanwhile, authorities in the Thai capital of Bangkok have declared the city a disaster area.
Videos shared on social media showed a high-rise building under construction collapsing, killing at least two people.
Seismicity in the Himalaya primarily results from the continental collision of the India and Eurasia plates.
Shallow earthquakes within the Indo-Burmese Arc, such as that which was recorded on Friday predominantly occur on a combination of strike-slip and reverse faults.
Myanmar has experienced similar magnitude 7+ earthquakes during the past century.
