Mild earthquake hits Mandalay

 

A SLIGHT earthquake of magnitude 4.0 (M) with its epicentre inside Myanmar (about three miles south-southwest of Pyigyidagun), latitude 21.86°N, longitude 96.09°E, with a depth of five kilometres, about 11 miles south-southwest of the Mandalay Seismological Observatory was recorded at 8 hours, 25 minutes and 54 seconds MST on 17 October 2026, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

“The earthquake in Mandalay was quite strong. We heard a sound before the shaking began. People said it was also felt in PyinOoLwin,” a local said.

The local earthquake monitoring group has recorded several earthquakes in the Mandalay area over the past month, documenting their dates, magnitudes, directions and distances from Mandalay. The records include a magnitude 3.4 earthquake 34 miles southeast of Mandalay on 17 September; a magnitude 3.9 earthquake 19 miles northeast on 22 September; a magnitude 3.2 earthquake 30 miles south on 24 September; a magnitude 3.5 earthquake nine miles northeast on 25 September; and two earthquakes on 29 September, measuring magnitudes 3.7 and 3.2, located 18 miles southeast and 13 miles east, respectively. It also recorded a magnitude 3.6 earthquake 14 miles south of Mandalay on 10 October, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake to the southwest on 13 October, and a magnitude 4.2 earthquake about six miles east of Mandalay on 17 October.

“The M4.2 earthquake east of Mandalay is a local seismic event that warrants close monitoring. However, the available records alone are not sufficient evidence to conclude that a major earthquake is imminent. At this stage, the priority is not simply to count the number of earthquakes, but to monitor their epicentres, depths, magnitudes and changes over time. As some buildings in Mandalay may still have been damaged by the major earthquake in 2025, continued attention should be paid to reducing risks,” an official from the group said.

Htun Htun/ KTZH

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