Our science reporter Esme Stallard.

我們的科學記者埃斯梅-斯塔拉德（Esme Stallard）。

is in the newsroom with more.

將在新聞編輯室為您帶來更多報道。

So Esme, talk us through what we know has happened.

埃斯梅，告訴我們發生了什麼事。

So there was this 7.7 earthquake.

於是發生了 7.7 級地震。

What do we mean by that?

這是什麼意思？

That's a measure of momentum.

這是衡量勢頭的標準。

Effectively, it's a measure of how much movement there has been in the top layer of the earth and what size has moved.

實際上，它是對地球表層移動的程度和移動的大小的測量。

So the earth crust is split into lots of different plates and they're all moving constantly.

是以，地殼被分割成許多不同的板塊，它們都在不斷移動。

And Myanmar is at the confluence of four of these plates and so it's a very tectonically active region.

緬甸位於其中四個板塊的交匯處，是以是一個構造非常活躍的地區。

So we had the main earthquake that occurred about 6:30 GMT around lunchtime local time.

主震發生在格林尼治標準時間 6:30 左右，大約在當地時間午餐時間。

And then there was a series of aftershocks.

隨後又發生了一系列餘震。

which then occurred affecting the neighboring countries.

隨後，鄰國也受到了影響。

But I want to talk a little bit more.

但我想再多說一點。

about that tectonic plate movement that I mentioned.

關於我提到的構造板塊運動。

I'm just going to show you this map here behind me, which is from the US Geological Survey.

我給大家看一下我身後的這張地圖，它來自美國地質調查局。

And the dot here highlighted in blue was that first initial earthquake that I mentioned.

這裡用藍色標出的點就是我提到的第一次地震。

But then what happens when you get that movement then settling is that you get then these aftershocks.

但是，當這種運動沉澱下來後，就會產生餘震。

For example, there was another one here just south just 10 minutes later, which occurred again, that was very significant.

例如，10 分鐘後在南面又發生了一起非常重大的事件。

It was more than six on that same scale.

在同一量表上，它超過了 6。

Now, when I mentioned before those plates, what we can see here is we can see a major red line coming down close to where the earthquakes occurred.

現在，當我之前提到這些板塊時，我們可以在這裡看到一條主要的紅線，就在地震發生地附近。

That's a major fault line.

這是一條主要的斷層線。

So that's where some of that movement is happening.

是以，一些運動就發生在這裡。

And the US Geological Survey says that the kind of conditions or characteristics of this earthquake suggest that maybe some of that movement was occurring along that fault line.

美國地質調查局說，這次地震的條件或特徵表明，也許有些運動是沿著這條斷層線發生的。

That's known as the Saga fault.

這就是所謂的 "傳奇斷層"。

And it's named off the area local to it. And then either side you've got here the Indian plate and then over here the Eurasian plate and they're also moving.

而它的名字就來自於它附近的區域。兩邊是印度板塊 這邊是歐亞板塊 它們也在移動

And so this is why this area is very prone to earthquakes.

是以，這也是該地區極易發生地震的原因。

But the sheer scale of it is quite unusual, the reason that we think it was so significant is that this earthquake happened at a very low area below the cross.

我們之所以認為它如此重要，是因為這次地震發生在十字架下方一個非常低的區域。

So it's only 10 kilometers down.

是以，只需 10 公里就能到達。

That's a very shallow earthquake.

這是一次很淺的地震。

And that means when you get a lot of that movement between the plates, it really has a big effect on the surface.

這意味著，當板塊之間發生大量運動時，會對地表產生很大影響。

In terms of can we look at previous earthquakes?

我們能否回顧一下以前的地震？

Can they indicate potentially the scale?

他們能指出潛在的比例尺嗎？

When we look at other earthquakes of this size, we have seen significant fatalities.

當我們觀察其他同等規模的地震時，我們看到了大量的人員傷亡。

And I think that is why it's such a concern for local authorities and rescue services at this time.

我認為，這就是地方當局和救援部門目前如此關注的原因。

Um there's also, you know, mentioned just there the concern about further aftershocks.

嗯，還有，你知道，剛才提到的對進一步餘震的擔憂。

So we've seen some more, those are the other orange dots here occurring.

是以，我們又看到了一些其他的橙色小點。

So there is still the risk at this time that there will be further earthquakes felt.

是以，目前仍有可能發生更多的地震。

But you can understand considering the kind of surrounding geology why this occurred.

但考慮到周圍的地質情況，你就能理解為什麼會出現這種情況了。

Esme, thank you very much for that detail.

埃斯梅，非常感謝你提供的細節。

Esme Stallard, who is our science reporter with detail of what we know about that 7.7 magnitude quake.

埃斯姆-斯塔拉德是我們的科學記者，她將詳細介紹我們所知道的7.7級地震。

As she was saying, the epicenter is in Myanmar and it is difficult to get information and pictures out because we know that power lines are down.

正如她所說，震中在緬甸，我們很難獲得資訊和圖片，因為我們知道電線已經斷了。

Communication is difficult and also the fact that it is under military control since the coup.

通訊不便，政變後又處於軍事管制之下。