The remains of the catastrophic earthquake in Myanmar on Friday were still lingering when a critical question emerged: Could this lethal collision of tectonic plates be the end of Myanmar’s ruling junta? The earthquake, causing at least 1,000 deaths (likely many more), struck just a day after Myanmar’s military regime celebrated the country’s 80th Armed Forces Day with a parade in Naypyidaw, a capital constructed by former generals. This chain of events was impossible to ignore, especially in a country with restricted information, where omens and rumors are valued, and where the junta, since seizing power four years ago, has turned back to superstitions and astrology for guidance, including traditional beliefs surrounding earthquakes. The junta still holds onto the cities, like Mandalay, one of the hardest-hit, where locals voice beliefs in astrological seers and omens hinting at the junta’s possible downfall, referring to historical instances of earthquakes signaling the fall of rulers. Despite the losses and devastation, as people assess the aftermath and the military restarted its campaigns against rebels, suggesting that ethnic minority militias and others are pushing the military back, the junta’s grip seems to be tightening amidst the chaos, using astrological advice and talismans to maintain power, even as a local astrologer to high military officials hints that the earthquake might be a bad omen for the junta’s top leaders.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/29/world/asia/myanmar-quake-junta.html