Event of 1839: An earthquake in the Kingdom of Burma kills more than 400 people and destroys th

Background. The Sagaing Fault is Burma's largest and most active source of seismic threat, running through or close to major cities. Several large and damaging earthquakes have occurred on this fault in historical times. The 1839 event was preceded by a large foreshock in 1838, which also damaged the capital. The felt area based on Modified Mercalli intensity was larger than the 1912 Maymyo earthquake.

Seismic Impact. The earthquake ruptured two segments: the Meiktila segment in the south and the Sagaing segment in the north. Remote sensing and field observation revealed a maximum displacement of 5–7 meters along the trace of the 1839 rupture just outside Mandalay. The Meiktila segment, considered a seismic gap, is believed to have ruptured during this earthquake.

Legacy and Aftermath. Later seismicity is relevant only as background to the 1839 event: in 1956 a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck close to Mandalay, re-rupturing the 1839 rupture zone for about 60 km (37 mi). The 260 km (160 mi) long Meiktila segment has not experienced any major earthquake since 1839 and is considered a seismic gap; it ruptured during a Mw 7.7 earthquake on 28 March 2025. These later events are noted solely to frame the 1839 rupture and are not treated as part of this Event.