Vietnam feels tremors from Myanmar earthquake but faces little risk: expert

Office workers and residents evacuate the Sonatus Building on Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, after tremors were felt early afternoon in March 28, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van

Nguyen Xuan Anh, director of the Vietnam Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center at the Institute of Earth Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, says the earthquake occurred at 1:20:20 p.m. Hanoi time on March 28, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake’s magnitude at 7.7. The expert says that such a large earthquake could affect areas thousands of kilometers away, depending on factors such as local geology and distance from the epicenter.

However, he notes that Vietnam’s seismic monitoring system recorded a "zero-level natural disaster risk," meaning the quake is unlikely to cause any damage within the country.

 

 

Vietnam feels tremors from Myanmar earthquake but faces little risk: expert

Động đất TP HCM

In cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, distant earthquakes are typically only felt in high-rise buildings, where residents may notice mild shaking. Anh says the earthquake was not unusual, as Myanmar has a history of experiencing powerful seismic activity.

He explains that after long periods of tectonic energy accumulation, this energy is eventually released in large quakes, which can affect surrounding regions. He adds that large earthquakes are often followed by aftershocks, but since this quake originated far from Vietnam, any potential impact remains minimal.

He also emphasizes the ongoing challenge of earthquake forecasting, noting that while scientists can identify regions with a high risk of seismic activity, predicting the exact time of an earthquake remains extremely difficult. Even in countries like Japan, where some of the world’s most advanced monitoring systems are in place, destructive earthquakes can still occur without early warning, he says.

At least three people have died after a mosque in Myanmar partially collapsed, Reuters quoted two eyewitnesses as saying.

In neighboring Thailand, Bangkok has been declared a disaster area, Bangkok city hall said on Friday.