Significant magnitude 5.2 earthquake 15 km southeast of Kyauktan, Myanmar (Burma)

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 5.2 quake in Myanmar near Kyauktan, Yangon South District, Yangon, only 10 minutes ago. The earthquake hit in the morning on Monday, May 18th, 2026, at 8:05 am local time at a moderately shallow depth of 35. km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
A second report was later issued by France's Réseau National de Surveillance Sismique (RéNaSS), which listed it as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake as well. Other agencies reporting the same quake include Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency at magnitude 5.4, the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake at magnitude 5.2, and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) at magnitude 5.2.
Generally quakes of this magnitude are recorded by more than one agency and the results can vary, with subsequent reports that come in after the first one often showing more accuracy.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.
In Zwe Bar Kone Tan (pop. 2,600) located 3 km from the epicenter, Kyauktan (pop. 132,800) 15 km away, Thanlyin (pop. 69,400) 32 km away, Thongwa (pop. 52,500) 33 km away, Thanhlyin (pop. 78,700) 33 km away, and Mingala Tangnyunt (pop. 132,500) 38 km away, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Yangon (pop. 4,477,600) located 40 km from the epicenter, Sangyoung (pop. 89,600) 42 km away, and Set Ka Lay (pop. 111,500) 44 km away.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.


Earthquake data:
Date & time: May 18, 2026 02:05 am (Universal Time) local time (18 May 2026 02:05 GMT)
Magnitude: 5.3
Depth: 10.00 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 16.54°N / 96.4°E (Yangon South, Yangon, Myanmar (Burma))
Primary data source: EMSC
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