7.7 magnitude quake that struck Myanmar on March 28 (AP photo)
A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Sunday morning near Meiktila, a small city in the Mandalay region, according to the US geological survey (USGS).
The tremor is one of the strongest aftershocks since the powerful 7.7-magnitude quake that devastated the region on March 28.
The epicentre of Sunday’s quake was located roughly halfway between Mandalay—Myanmar’s second-largest city, which was hit hard in the earlier disaster—and the capital Naypyitaw, where government buildings also sustained damage last month.
Myanmar’s meteorological department reported the quake struck in Wundwin township, about 97 kilometres (60 miles) south of Mandalay, at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 miles).
However, the USGS placed the depth at just 7.7 kilometres (4.8 miles).
There were no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties from the latest quake. Residents in Wundwin told the Associated Press that the tremor caused people to flee buildings, and some ceilings were damaged. A resident in Naypyitaw said the quake was not felt there. All individuals spoke anonymously due to fear of reprisal from the military government, which tightly controls the flow of information.
As of Friday, the March 28 quake had left at least 3,649 people dead and more than 5,000 injured, according to, spokesperson for Myanmar’s ruling military junta. Hundreds of aftershocks have followed since then.
The United Nations has warned that the March quake has intensified an already dire humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, where over 3 million people have been displaced by ongoing civil conflict. The disaster has severely disrupted farming in the affected areas, and health services have been strained due to widespread damage to medical facilities.
Sunday’s quake coincided with the start of Thingyan, Myanmar’s three-day New Year festival. Public celebrations had already been cancelled in light of last month’s devastation.
