On March 28, 2025, a 7.7 term richter earthquake struck along the Sagaing fault. The amazing thing is not only the level of shaking but also its super-fast propagation rate - faster than conventional earthquake waves.
This is considered one of the longest and fastest "supershear earthquakes" ever recorded.
"super-slip" earthquake - a phenomenon that breaks all earthquake limits
Typically, earthquakes occur when the Earth's crust breaks and releases energy. But the 2025 Myanmar earthquake has far exceeded that rule: The fracture spreads at a speed of more than 4.8 km/s, equivalent to breaking a sound barrier but in the rock and soil, as described by researcher Dara E. Goldberg (US Geological Survey USGS), lead author of the study published in the journal Science.
By analyzing global seismic data combined with satellite images, the team determined that the fracture lasted up to 475km, double the normal length of a similar-sized earthquake. The spread of super-slip speeds has greatly accelerated the devastation, causing many areas of Myanmar to shake violently, houses to crack and infrastructure to be deformed.
Three factors make up the fastest earthquake in history
Scientists identify three keys to the earthquakes terrible speed:
One is the rare straight-fried terrain. The section south of the Sagaing fault stretches for hundreds of kilometers without any turning point. This helps the slide run straight, not slowing down due to the fractures like in most other earthquakes.
Two is the energy accumulated over nearly 200 years. The last major earthquake in this area occurred in 1839. For nearly 2 centuries of pressing and creating movements has created a huge amount of energy, just waiting for the moment to "go" out in an extremely strong event.
Three is the difference in the broken play on both sides. The difference in hardness and structure between the two rock layers has created a special form of energy reflection. When the crack spreads, the energy flows back in a way that helps maintain and increase the slipping speed, creating a phenomenon of prolonged super slipping.
New danger from super landslides
Supershear is a very rare but especially dangerous phenomenon. They not only cause severe vibrations near the center of the earthquake but also create "super-fast wave surfaces", which can double the intensity of vibrations in places hundreds of kilometers away from the center of the earthquake.
Shock surge creates shocking surfaces that can double the level of vibration, even in areas far from the center of the earthquake, says Professor Lingsen Meng (University of California, Los Angeles UCLA).
This poses a major challenge for current seismic risk forecasting models.
Super landslides are uncommon, but when they do occur, they create a level of devastation far beyond what humans have prepared. And the historic earthquake in Myanmar has become the clearest reminder of the mysteries and unpredictable power of the Earth.
