A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake has struck central Myanmar, killing at least 144 people and injuring more than 700, according to Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing.
The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake’s epicenter was 16 kilometers northwest of Sagaing, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The tremors were felt as far as Thailand and southwest China.
In Bangkok, Thailand, at least seven people have died, and 81 construction workers are missing after an unfinished high-rise building collapsed due to the quake. Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, in Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, a rescuer described the damage as “enormous.” Roads in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, have buckled, and the military government has declared a state of emergency in six regions.
A second earthquake, measuring 6.4 in magnitude, struck just 12 minutes after the first, with its epicenter 18 kilometers south of Sagaing.
Soe Lwin, a resident of Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, said he felt the earthquake for a long time. “People are scared of more aftershocks,” he said.
In Thailand, BBC journalist Bui Thu, who was in Bangkok at the time, shared her experience. “I was at home cooking when it happened. I was very nervous, very panicked,” she said. “Buildings in Bangkok are not designed for earthquakes, so the damage could be huge.”
Myanmar’s military junta, which has been in power since a coup in 2021, has made a rare appeal for international aid. The disaster adds to the country’s humanitarian crisis, where millions have been displaced by civil war.
The Sagaing region, where the quake hit hardest, is a major battleground in the ongoing conflict, making rescue and relief efforts even more difficult.
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, visited the site of the collapsed building in Bangkok and assured that search-and-rescue teams are working tirelessly. Disaster centers have also been set up to help victims.
With communication networks limited in Myanmar, the full extent of the damage is still unclear, but officials warn that the death toll could rise in the coming days.
BBC
