Why Thai authorities could not issue an earthquake warning
BANGKOK - Following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Mandalay, Myanmar on March 28, many areas in Thailand - including the northern and central regions, as well as Bangkok - experienced tremors.
The incident sparked widespread criticism about why the relevant authorities did not issue a prior warning.
Veerachart Wiwekkawin, a senior geologist and earthquake expert at the Department of Mineral Resources, said that the cause of the earthquake was the Sagaing Fault, which stretches from Mandalay to Yangon.
The fault is relatively far from Thailand, yet many areas in northern and central Thailand, including Bangkok, were able to feel the tremors.
The reason the seismic waves reached Bangkok, he said, is due to geological factors that allowed the earthquake waves to propagate further.
The low frequency of the waves made it easier for tall buildings in Bangkok to resonate with the tremors, which made the shaking more noticeable. Therefore, it is not surprising that people in tall buildings felt the tremors from this earthquake.
Mr Veerachart explained that aftershocks are smaller than the main earthquake and gradually decrease in intensity, until they disappear completely.
It is unlikely that the population in Thailand would be significantly impacted, and the situation is relatively safe, he added.
When asked about the reason for the lack of prior warning, Mr Veerachart explained that it is impossible to predict exactly when or where an earthquake will occur.
However, once an earthquake has happened, authorities can send out notifications to inform people about the impact and possible aftershocks, which could continue for another two to three weeks.
Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department has said that earthquakes remain a natural disaster that cannot be predicted. Effective earthquake prevention and mitigation require accurate ground vibration data from a monitoring system that meets international standards.
The department said that
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