The tragic, 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar this week occurred along fault lines between the Indian and Eurasian Plates. The former continues to push NNE into the latter, forcing up the Himalayas and producing frequent earthquakes in that area. Adding to tectonic pressure within that region is the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the southeast portion of the Eurasian Plate.
While these powerful earthquakes seem to have a predilection for impoverished countries, where the houses and buildings do not meet modern codes, this is a false narrative. That assumption is derived from the fact that much of the planet remains relatively "underdeveloped." Of course, our brief time on Earth also fosters that conclusion.
Here in the U.S., most quakes have been relatively mild over the past Century but major, destructive events lie ahead, especially along the West Coast (an Active Margin). We can contribute to relief efforts and, perhaps, improve our quake prediction accuracy but we will never control tectonic activity.
