Myanmar regional gov't to step up efforts to reduce quake damage

Myanmar's Yangon region government is planning to form an earthquake monitoring committee in an effort to reduce damage and carry out rehabilitation activities, official media the Global New Light of Myanmar reported Wednesday.

The committee will be responsible for promotion of public awareness of earthquake and development of quake preparedness and response plan, emergency medical preparedness, recovery and reconstruction, the Yangon Region Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Department was quoted as saying.

The regional government will also form a technical working group made up of local and foreign experts to conduct seismic diagnosis test on public buildings which are increasing due to population growth, the report said.

Yangon region lies at 35 km from the Sagaing Fault and is vulnerable to earthquake due to movement of the fault.

Other cities along the fault include Myitgyina, Tagaung, Thabeikkyin, Sagaing, Mandalay, May Pyi Taw, Toungoo, Pyu and Bago and all are vulnerable to quake at any time, experts said.

Myanmar was struck by 15 earthquakes of a magnitude of 7 or higher during the past century including the Bago quake in 1930, Yangon quake in 1970 and Bagan quake in 1975.

The most recent quake in Myanmar was the one in August that damaged as many as 396 pagodas.

Thabeikkyin quake on Nov. 11, 2012 killed 26 people and destroyed 462 buildings, while the Tarley quake claimed 76 lives and brought down 1,229 buildings. Endit