- 7.7-magnitude quake hits Myanmar, felt in Thailand and China
- Casualties in Myanmar and Thailand, including a building collapse in Bangkok
- Myanmar struggles with weak infrastructure and communication issues.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread devastation and triggering building collapses in neighboring Thailand, where an “emergency zone” was declared in the capital, Bangkok.
Videos shared online captured chaotic scenes, with panicked residents fleeing swaying buildings in both Myanmar and Thailand as dust filled the air and traffic ground to a halt. Tremors were also felt in China’s Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar.
In response to the quake, Myanmar’s military junta declared an “emergency situation” across a large portion of the country, including Mandalay, the second-largest city, and Naypyidaw, the military-constructed capital.
In the town of Taungoo, located 70 miles south of Naypyidaw, three people were killed when a mosque partially collapsed, as rescue operations began. Meanwhile, in Thailand, the collapse of an under-construction high-rise building in Bangkok resulted in at least one fatality and 50 injuries. Emergency crews are working to rescue dozens still trapped under the rubble, with the regional governor urging caution as damage to high-rise buildings was reported.
Myanmar, already grappling with the aftermath of more than four years of civil war sparked by a military coup, is struggling with weak infrastructure and poverty, which hampers its ability to respond to major natural disasters.
The earthquake struck at around 12:50 p.m. local time near Mandalay, home to about 1.5 million people and famous historical temples. Several aftershocks followed, including one measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The epicenter was located in Myanmar’s central Sagaing region, which has been devastated by civil conflict between the military junta, rebel groups, and pro-military militias. Travel in the area is difficult due to ongoing fighting and numerous checkpoints, with communication often disrupted.
There have been no immediate reports from Myanmar authorities regarding the full extent of the damage. However, eyewitnesses in Mandalay reported seeing buildings collapse, including a five-story structure, and a tea shop that crumbled with people trapped inside.
In Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial center located about 380 miles from the epicenter, residents described feeling the quake for about a minute before fleeing buildings. “It was very sudden and very strong,” one resident shared. Following the quake, phone networks were briefly disrupted but were later restored.
A video from Myanmar also showed a bridge over the Irrawaddy River in Mandalay collapsing into the water, sending up a cloud of dust.
Tremors were also felt in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, with locals rushing out of buildings. However, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport resumed normal operations about two hours after the earthquake.
