NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar: A devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday has killed more than a thousand people, with the death toll expected to rise further.
Myanmar announced on Saturday that at least 1,002 people had perished and 2,376 others were injured. In Thailand, at least eight people lost their lives in the capital, where a high-rise building under construction collapsed.
The former royal capital of Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people and the city closest to the earthquake’s epicentre, has suffered significant destruction.
Homes, offices, mosques, and Buddhist monasteries had collapsed, while roads were severely damaged, various media outlets reported.
A geologist said that the earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 7.7, released energy equivalent to “334 atomic bombs.”
Many residents are still searching for missing loved ones, while rescue workers struggle to reach those trapped under debris.
Increasing earthquake frequency
The destruction has raised concerns beyond Myanmar and Thailand, with neighbouring India also experiencing multiple earthquakes in recent months.
According to a press release from the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India, the country recorded 159 earthquakes of varying magnitudes between November 2024 and February 2025.
The most recent quake, measuring 4.0 in magnitude, struck Delhi on 17 February.
While there is growing public concern that earthquakes are becoming more frequent, seismologists suggest this perception may be influenced by increased awareness and improved detection technology.
Experts’ opinion about earthquake frequency
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has stated that fluctuations in seismic activity are normal and do not necessarily indicate an increase in global earthquake frequency.
According to the USGS, an increasing number of earthquakes have been recorded in recent years, not because they are occurring more often, but because of improved seismic instrumentation and detection capabilities.
USGS data spanning more than a century indicates that the Earth experiences an average of 16 major earthquakes (magnitude 7.0 or greater) each year.
This includes approximately 15 quakes in the magnitude 7 range and one earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or higher.
The British Geological Survey (BGS) also supports this assessment, reporting an average of around 15 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater annually between 2000 and 2020.
According to the BGS, while there are slight annual variations, no significant deviation from this long-term average has been observed.
Why are more earthquakes being recorded?
Although the frequency of major earthquakes remains stable, the total number of recorded earthquakes has increased significantly.
The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) now detects approximately 20,000 earthquakes globally each year, averaging about 55 per day.
In New Zealand, GeoNet, the country’s geological hazard monitoring agency, reports between 50 and 80 earthquakes daily.
Historical data from the Global Earthquake Explorer (GEE) Community Catalogue shows a rising trend in recorded earthquakes since the early 1900s.
In August 2024, an analysis by EarthSense found that an average of 220 earthquakes were recorded daily, with a peak of 578 tremors on 7 August.
BGS attributes this increase to advancements in seismic monitoring technology. Before the widespread use of highly sensitive seismographs, only quakes large enough to be felt or cause damage were recorded.
Modern instruments now detect even minor tremors that previously went unnoticed.
Is climate change influencing earthquake activity?
Emerging research suggests that climate change may play a role in earthquake frequency in specific regions.
A study by Colorado State University (CSU) geoscientists on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado found a correlation between glacial retreat and increased fault activity.
The study proposes that during the last ice age, the massive weight of glaciers suppressed movement along faults.
As glaciers melted, the reduced pressure on the Earth’s crust allowed faults to slip more frequently, potentially triggering more earthquakes.
With glaciers continuing to melt in Alaska, the Himalayas, and the Alps due to rising global temperatures, other tectonically active regions adjacent to glaciers could experience increased seismic activity.
While there is no conclusive evidence linking climate change to a global rise in earthquakes, scientists caution that rapidly changing stress conditions in the Earth’s crust could influence seismic activity in some areas.
