Astrologer arrested in Myanmar after his TikTok video predicting earthquake sparks panic
A viral video predicting another major earthquake led to the arrest of a Myanmar astrologer for spreading fear among the public.
Authorities in Myanmar have arrested an astrologer after his viral TikTok video warning of another major earthquake triggered public panic. The video, posted on April 9 by John Moe The, came just two weeks after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed 3,500 people and destroyed historic temples across the country, reported BBC.
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The astrologer, who has over 300,000 followers on his now-deactivated account, predicted that an earthquake would “hit every city in Myanmar” on April 21. His video, viewed more than three million times, urged people to evacuate buildings during tremors and “take important things with you and run away from buildings during the shaking.” The caption further warned, “People should not stay in tall buildings during the day.”
Myanmar’s information ministry said he was arrested on Tuesday in Sagaing for making “false statements with the intention of causing public panic.” Seismologists and experts have since reiterated that earthquakes cannot be predicted, given the complex factors involved.
The impact of John Moe The’s prediction was visible on the ground. A Yangon resident told AFP that many in her neighbourhood believed the video and chose to camp outdoors rather than stay in their homes on April 21.
Devastating earthquake
The recent arrest comes in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, causing widespread destruction, particularly in the Mandalay and Sagaing regions. The magnitude of the earthquake, which left a trail of devastation and loss, prompted a rare and urgent appeal from Myanmar’s military government for international assistance. This level of devastation is indicative of the earthquake’s sheer power, which was felt as far as 1,000 kilometres away in neighbouring Thailand. In Bangkok, the tremors caused a catastrophic collapse at a construction site, tragically leading to the deaths of dozens of workers. According to reports from Reuters, “the collapse of the construction site in Bangkok highlighted the far-reaching consequences of the earthquake, with the ripple effects felt beyond Myanmar’s borders.”
