Theme 2. Neotectonics
Session 2.4 : Engineering Geology Perspectives on the March 2025 Mandalay Earthquake and its effects in Myanmar and Thailand and China
Session Convener: Dr. Janusz Wasowski, senior research associate, CNR-IRPI (National Research Council of Italy),
email: [email protected]
Session Coordinators: Ranjan Kumar Dahal
Session description
On 28 March 2025, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake originated near Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar (formerly Burma). The initial reports indicated a death toll in the order of thousands. The earthquake caused destruction in Myanmar, but also damaged the neighboring regions of Thailand and China. The preliminary estimates released by USGS, subsequently confirmed by remotely sensed data, indicated enhanced damage due to widespread co-seismic ground failures (liquefaction and landslides). The affected area belongs to one of the most dangerous seismic regions of Asia, where active tectonic motions repeatedly generate large M earthquakes. While forecasting natural hazards remains difficult, our international engineering geology community is called once again to collect data and generate technical information following a tragic earthquake.
This Special Session aims at communicating the initial findings learned from the investigations conducted on the 2025 Mandalayearthquake. To foster discussion and exchange of practical knowledge on the assessement and mitigation of seismic hazards, we also invite contributions regarding relevant case studies conducted on recent large magnitude earthquakes in other tectonically active regions.
The Session will feature two introductory presentations regarding i) geology and seismicity of Myanmar and the neighboring regions; ii) historical damaging earthquakes in Myanmar and the impact of the 2025 Mandalay event. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to: