New Earthquake Hits Myanmar Amid Crisis Weeks After 4,400 Killed in Major Quake

On the morning of Sunday, April 13, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook central Myanmar, intensifying the region’s humanitarian burden following a powerful earthquake that struck just over two weeks earlier. The tremor occurred near Meiktila, a small city strategically located between Mandalay and the capital city, Naypyitaw, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This latest tremor, classified as one of the most significant aftershocks since the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake on March 28, has reignited fear among already traumatized residents and worsened the challenges facing the civil war-ravaged nation. Myanmar, already embroiled in a complex civil conflict and facing ongoing humanitarian emergencies, has now been hit by multiple seismic events in rapid succession. The March 28 earthquake, which struck with massive force in the northern regions, killed more than 4,400 people, according to local authorities and international aid groups. It was one of the deadliest quakes in recent memory in the area. The April 13 tremor, though less powerful, triggered panic due to its proximity to populated areas. Reports indicate that residents in Wundwin township, situated near the epicentre, experienced visible structural cracks in buildings and ceilings. Local sources described frightened crowds fleeing residential and commercial structures in fear of a collapse.