What the Myanmar earthquake taught us: Why sonic boom quakes are no longer science fiction

When Myanmar was rocked by a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake in March 2025, scientists noticed something unusual. The ground shook harder and faster than expected, and data showed the rupture moved at extreme speeds. Researchers later confirmed it was a supershear or “sonic boom” quake, where the rupture front travels faster than seismic shear waves. This creates shockwave-like ground motion, amplifying damage far beyond the epicentre.
A 2025 analysis published by seismologists revealed that the Myanmar event shifted how experts understand future seismic risk in Asia and beyond. Let’s break down what sonic boom quakes are, why they happen, and what the Myanmar case tells us about the future of earthquake safety .



What are sonic boom quakes or supershear earthquakes?
A normal earthquake rupture spreads more slowly than the shear wave velocity of the surrounding rocks. But a supershear earthquake breaks that barrier and travels faster than shear waves, producing concentrated energy similar to a sonic boom in the air. This creates intense shaking along the fault line and increases destruction in specific directions rather than evenly across regions.

In the Myanmar earthquake , researchers found that the rupture moved at nearly 6 km per second before slowing briefly, then speeding up again. This shifting behaviour helped them identify how supershear earthquakes can evolve within a single event, making prediction and preparedness more complex.



What scientists learned from the Myanmar earthquake
The 2025 Myanmar quake occurred along the Sagaing Fault, a well-known active zone running through central Myanmar. Using satellite imaging, field data, and ground sensors, seismologists discovered that:

• The rupture alternated between subshear and supershear speeds across its 400-kilometer path.
• Damage patterns were not uniform, with remote towns experiencing stronger shocks than expected.
• The event revealed how traditional models underestimate risk from directional ground motion.
• This finding has made experts rethink seismic hazard assessments in densely populated regions that sit along fast-moving fault lines.

Why supershear earthquakes increase seismic risk worldwide
Sonic boom quakes like the one in Myanmar are not limited to Southeast Asia . Faults in California, Japan, Turkey, and even parts of the Himalayan belt could produce similar events. Because the rupture travels faster than expected, shock energy is focused along the fault, making ground shaking stronger and more prolonged.

Current building codes and hazard models often assume slower rupture speeds, which can underestimate the level of destruction possible in a supershear earthquake. For instance, structures aligned with the fault direction may experience wave amplification up to twice the usual intensity. This means that urban planners and engineers must revisit assumptions about how buildings respond to directional seismic energy.



How scientists detect sonic boom quakes and supershear rupture
Identifying a supershear rupture requires highly detailed measurements. Scientists rely on:

• Seismograph networks that record ground motion at multiple frequencies to capture rupture acceleration.
• Satellite-based InSAR imaging that maps surface deformation and fault slip patterns.
• Field observations that confirm displacement direction and energy concentration.
• High-speed videos from nearby security or scientific cameras can visually show the rupture front moving faster than expected.

The Myanmar earthquake combined all these techniques, offering one of the clearest case studies of supershear earthquake behaviour ever recorded.



How supershear quakes challenge existing building and safety models
Traditional earthquake engineering models assume ground motion radiates uniformly from the epicentre. Supershear events defy that assumption in several ways:

• Directional damage: The rupture’s forward path creates a focused corridor of destruction.
• High acceleration: Shockwave-like energy causes abrupt jolts, not gradual shaking.
• Variable speed: Rupture velocity can change mid-quake, complicating structural response models.
• To address this, experts recommend updating seismic design codes to account for higher directional acceleration and stronger horizontal stress in supershear zones.

How to prepare for future sonic boom quakes and reduce seismic risk
Regions prone to large earthquakes can take several steps to adapt to this new understanding of sonic boom quakes:

• Reassess hazard maps: Include supershear potential when redrawing risk zones near major faults.
• Upgrade infrastructure: Use stronger materials and flexible designs to handle directional shocks.
• Expand early-warning systems: Detect rupture speed changes in real time to send faster alerts.
• Educate communities: Teach residents that shaking may vary by direction and intensity during major events.
• Encourage international research collaboration: Sharing data between countries can improve predictive models.

Each of these actions can help reduce casualties and property loss if a supershear event strikes again.



The 2025 Myanmar earthquake is a reminder that Earth still holds surprises. Sonic boom quakes once sounded like a concept from science fiction, but they are real, measurable, and potentially devastating. As scientists refine their models and collect more data, governments must treat these findings seriously when planning urban growth and disaster management.

The planet’s crust may not obey the limits we expect, but by understanding phenomena like supershear rupture, humanity can build smarter, safer, and more resilient cities.
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