Myanmar TikTok Astrologer Arrested for Quake Prediction Panic

Screen capture

A popular Myanmar TikTok astrologer has been arrested after his viral prediction of another powerful earthquake triggered widespread panic, weeks after a deadly tremor devastated the country.

John Moe The, a 21-year-old with over 300,000 followers on TikTok, posted a video on 9 April claiming a “very strong” quake would strike “every city in Myanmar” within 12 days. The video, viewed more than 3.3 million times, warned residents to flee tall buildings and be prepared to evacuate.

The forecast came just weeks after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, killing over 3,700 people and displacing tens of thousands. With aftershocks still rattling the region, Moe The’s prediction stoked fresh fear in an already traumatised population.

Myanmar’s military authorities confirmed on Thursday that Moe The was arrested during a morning raid in the city of Monywa earlier this week. In a statement published in state media, the government accused him of spreading fake news and pledged to take action against anyone “who writes or shares” such information.

"Action will be taken effectively according to the law," the statement said.

Though some dismissed the astrologer’s forecast, others took it seriously. “Most of my neighbours dared not to stay in their apartments and lived out on the street on that day,” said Yangon resident Nan Nan. “My friend even hired a small house outside the city in preparation.”

Moe The, who posts under the name “John (Palmistry),” regularly shares astrological predictions over cosmic imagery. His claims have included weather disasters, the return of Aung San Suu Kyi, and US airstrikes on Myanmar—none of which have come to pass.

Despite the popularity of fortune-telling in Myanmar, experts have firmly rejected the idea that earthquakes can be predicted. “Neither the USGS nor any other scientists have ever predicted a major earthquake,” reads a statement from the United States Geological Survey. “We do not know how.”

In a country already battling civil war, a natural disaster, and fragile infrastructure, the spread of misinformation has only heightened tensions. Relief efforts remain hampered by damaged roads and ongoing conflict, with more than 60,000 people still living in makeshift camps.

The incident underscores how misinformation on social media can have real-world consequences—especially in regions where official communication is limited, and trust in state institutions is low.

-2025-04-25