How a ‘supershear’ earthquake tore through Myanmar

Data reveals why last month’s earthquake was so devastating

The ground in Myanmar was split and dragged in different directions during the massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the Southeast Asian nation on March 28. The quake tore a rupture through the earth’s surface stretching for more than 285 miles (460 km), around twice the distance expected from a quake of this magnitude, according to scientists.

This reveals how much the surface moved in opposite directions during the quake, using data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The long surface rupture can be plotted along the contrasting sections of land, which shifted around 5 metres (16.4 feet) in different directions, according to the analysis.