Myanmar authorities have arrested a TikTok astrologer for inciting panic with a viral prediction that a new earthquake would strike the country on April 21, following a devastating quake that had recently killed thousands.
Astrologer Detained After Viral Earthquake Prediction Sparks Panic in Myanmar
Astrologer Detained After Viral Earthquake Prediction Sparks Panic in Myanmar
Astrologer's warning of impending quake leads to public chaos and arrest by authorities.
Myanmar’s authorities have taken decisive action against a TikTok astrologer whose prediction of a new earthquake has created widespread panic among the populace. John Moe The, who had gained over three million views on his prediction video posted on April 9, was arrested for allegedly making "false statements with the intention of causing public panic," according to the Information Ministry.
The astrologer’s video warned that an earthquake would "hit every city in Myanmar" on 21 April, only weeks after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake had already devastated the country, resulting in 3,500 deaths and the destruction of ancient temples. Despite the lack of scientific basis for predicting earthquakes—experts emphasize the unpredictability of seismic events—many viewers took his warning seriously.
Witness accounts reveal that entire neighborhoods prepared for the supposed quake, with frightened residents fleeing their homes and camping outdoors. The attention surrounding John Moe The's TikTok, which focused on astrology and palmistry predictions, amassed a considerable following before being deleted.
The Myanmarese government conducted a raid at his residence in Sagaing, particularly affected by the previous earthquake that prompted a rare appeal from the junta for international aid. The tremors of the earlier quake were felt as far away as Bangkok, resulting in structural collapses and fatalities, underscoring the heightened sensitivity surrounding earthquake predictions in the region.
