A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, with tremors felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand. The earthquake’s epicenter was near Mandalay, about 30 miles east of Monywa, at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) and the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake caused panic in Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand. In Bangkok, a high-rise building under construction collapsed, leading to mass evacuations as people fled from offices, apartments, and hotels. Thai police and rescue teams rushed to the site of the collapsed building near the Chatuchak Market, but the number of casualties remains unclear.
The earthquake damaged roads and buildings in Myanmar. In the capital Naypyitaw, religious shrines were destroyed, with some pagodas and homes suffering structural damage. As Myanmar is already struggling with an ongoing civil war, communication and rescue efforts remain challenging.
Strong Tremors Felt Across Thailand
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention confirmed that the earthquake was felt in almost all regions of the country. In Bangkok, home to over 17 million people, the tremors caused water to spill out of rooftop pools, alarms to ring, and buildings to sway. Shocked residents rushed outside for safety.
The USGS warned that many buildings in Myanmar and Thailand are vulnerable to earthquakes. “The population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking,” the agency stated.
Emergency teams are working to assess the damage and rescue anyone trapped. Authorities in Thailand and Myanmar are monitoring the situation closely, but there is still no official report on injuries or fatalities.
This earthquake highlights the region’s seismic risks, and experts continue to assess the possibility of aftershocks in the coming days.
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