On March 28, 2025, a Mw 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar, rupturing a ∼ 500 km segment of the strike-slip Sagaing Fault. The earthquake produced widespread structural damage and co-seismic ground failures, including extensive liquefaction and lateral spreading. Although field observations and remote assessments have reported numerous liquefaction occurrences, no comprehensive regional-scale inventory was produced. This study presents the first systematic mapping and analysis of earthquake-induced liquefaction associated with the 2025 Mandalay event, using medium resolution (10 m) Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite imagery acquired in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. We identified over 18,000 liquefaction sites within an area of more than 80,000 km2, with the highest concentrations along the Irrawaddy and Sittang River valleys, in vicinity to the fault rupture. Liquefaction predominantly occurred in Holocene fluvial environments, including meandering channels, floodplains, and abandoned paleochannels, reflecting the influence of geomorphology and sediment characteristics. Over 95 % of the sites were located within 20 km of the fault rupture, confirming that rupture proximity is a more reliable predictor of liquefaction hazard than epicentral distance alone. This is consistent with the very large length of the ruptured fault, off-center location of the mainshock epicenter and the significant (∼3 m on average) surface slip documented throughout much of the rupture. The scale of liquefaction observed, particularly the extensive lateral spreading and ground deformation along the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay, indicate that this event may represent one of the largest regional liquefaction occurrences during the last few decades. Our results demonstrate the importance of integrating geomorphic, lithological, and seismic parameters into regional-scale assessments of seismic hazard. The liquefaction inventory offers critical insights for post-earthquake risk evaluation in Myanmar and for mitigating future co-lateral seismic hazards in tectonically active fluvial regions.
On March 28, 2025, a Mw 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar, rupturing a ∼ 500 km segment of the strike-slip Sagaing Fault. The earthquake produced widespread structural damage and co-seismic ground failures, including extensive liquefaction and lateral spreading. Although field observations and remote assessments have reported numerous liquefaction occurrences, no comprehensive regional-scale inventory was produced. This study presents the first systematic mapping and analysis of earthquake-induced liquefaction associated with the 2025 Mandalay event, using medium resolution (10 m) Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite imagery acquired in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. We identified over 18,000 liquefaction sites within an area of more than 80,000 km2, with the highest concentrations along the Irrawaddy and Sittang River valleys, in vicinity to the fault rupture. Liquefaction predominantly occurred in Holocene fluvial environments, including meandering channels, floodplains, and abandoned paleochannels, reflecting the influence of geomorphology and sediment characteristics. Over 95 % of the sites were located within 20 km of the fault rupture, confirming that rupture proximity is a more reliable predictor of liquefaction hazard than epicentral distance alone. This is consistent with the very large length of the ruptured fault, off-center location of the mainshock epicenter and the significant (∼3 m on average) surface slip documented throughout much of the rupture. The scale of liquefaction observed, particularly the extensive lateral spreading and ground deformation along the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay, indicate that this event may represent one of the largest regional liquefaction occurrences during the last few decades. Our results demonstrate the importance of integrating geomorphic, lithological, and seismic parameters into regional-scale assessments of seismic hazard. The liquefaction inventory offers critical insights for post-earthquake risk evaluation in Myanmar and for mitigating future co-lateral seismic hazards in tectonically active fluvial regions.
Regional-scale inventory and initial analysis of liquefaction triggered by the 2025 Mw 7.7 Mandalay earthquake, Myanmar
Taftsoglou, Maria;
2026
Abstract
On March 28, 2025, a Mw 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar, rupturing a ∼ 500 km segment of the strike-slip Sagaing Fault. The earthquake produced widespread structural damage and co-seismic ground failures, including extensive liquefaction and lateral spreading. Although field observations and remote assessments have reported numerous liquefaction occurrences, no comprehensive regional-scale inventory was produced. This study presents the first systematic mapping and analysis of earthquake-induced liquefaction associated with the 2025 Mandalay event, using medium resolution (10 m) Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite imagery acquired in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. We identified over 18,000 liquefaction sites within an area of more than 80,000 km2, with the highest concentrations along the Irrawaddy and Sittang River valleys, in vicinity to the fault rupture. Liquefaction predominantly occurred in Holocene fluvial environments, including meandering channels, floodplains, and abandoned paleochannels, reflecting the influence of geomorphology and sediment characteristics. Over 95 % of the sites were located within 20 km of the fault rupture, confirming that rupture proximity is a more reliable predictor of liquefaction hazard than epicentral distance alone. This is consistent with the very large length of the ruptured fault, off-center location of the mainshock epicenter and the significant (∼3 m on average) surface slip documented throughout much of the rupture. The scale of liquefaction observed, particularly the extensive lateral spreading and ground deformation along the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay, indicate that this event may represent one of the largest regional liquefaction occurrences during the last few decades. Our results demonstrate the importance of integrating geomorphic, lithological, and seismic parameters into regional-scale assessments of seismic hazard. The liquefaction inventory offers critical insights for post-earthquake risk evaluation in Myanmar and for mitigating future co-lateral seismic hazards in tectonically active fluvial regions.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
