How destructive is a 7.7 magnitude earthquake?

According to experts, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake is a major event that could completely destroy buildings in many areas and cause casualties ranging from 0 to 250,000 people.

At approximately 12:50 PM on March 28 (local time), a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck at a depth of nearly 10 km, with its epicenter 16 km from Sagaing City (Myanmar) and 17.2 km from Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city.

Building in Thailand collapses due to earthquake impact.

PHOTO: REUTERS

The major earthquake caused significant loss of life and property in Myanmar, affecting many Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, at around 1:30 PM on the same day, many residents living in apartment buildings and offices felt their buildings shaking and experienced dizziness, similar to symptoms of low blood pressure.

Speaking to Thanh Nien newspaper , Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning Center, Institute of Earth Sciences , Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, said that this was a very large earthquake, so the affected area was very wide.

How destructive is a 7.7 magnitude earthquake?

Therefore, people in Hanoi, which is about 1,000 km away, and Ho Chi Minh City, which is nearly 1,700 km away, could still feel the earthquake.

According to Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, the earthquake that occurred in Myanmar is classified as large (magnitude 7-7.9) on the moment scale (symbolized as Mw).

Earthquake intensity on the moment scale

PHOTO: NHAN DAN NEWSPAPER

Earthquakes of this magnitude, when they occur, can damage many or all buildings in many areas. Some structures may partially collapse or be severely damaged. Even well-designed structures can be damaged.

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh estimates that an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale would cause between 0 and 250,000 casualties. On average, there are 10-20 earthquakes worldwide each year.

Where do people watch earthquake news?

Vietnam is not a country where major earthquakes occur frequently. Therefore, many people do not know how to look up information about earthquakes.

Currently, the most comprehensive and authoritative source of information about earthquakes in Vietnam is the website http://igp-vast.vn/ of the Institute of Earth Sciences (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology).

In addition, another earthquake website published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is also used by technology and media companies when reporting on this phenomenon. This site arranges events in chronological order, with the most recent event at the beginning, and the magnitude of the earthquake, according to the moment scale, is indicated next to it.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dong-dat-77-do-co-suc-pha-huy-nhu-the-nao-185250329162629976.htm