In World First, CCTV Captures Supershear Velocity Earthquake

A CCTV camera in Myanmar captured real-time footage of a supershear strike-slip earthquake, providing new insights into tectonic motion. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred on March 28 along the Sagaing Fault, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. The initial rupture process lasted only 80 seconds, but it and subsequent aftershocks caused 5,456 confirmed deaths and over 11,000 injuries. The earthquake was the second deadliest in modern history and the most powerful to hit Myanmar in over a century. Researchers found that the southern portion of the rupture occurred at an astonishing 3.7 miles per second, qualifying as "supershear velocity." An outdoor CCTV camera 74.5 miles south of the epicenter recorded a dramatic illustration of the earthquake's power, showing the ground suddenly dividing and shifting in opposite directions. This footage provided a unique opportunity for researchers at Kyoto University to study a strike-slip fault using visual data. The clip, which can be viewed on YouTube, is a rare and valuable resource for seismologists. The analysis of the footage has led to new findings based on real-time visual evidence of tectonic motion. This accidental recording has significantly contributed to the understanding of supershear strike-slip earthquakes.