An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 has struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand, resulting in the collapse of an under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok that trapped numerous workers.
Gatekeepers News reports that authorities have declared a state of emergency in the affected areas.
The earthquake occurred on Friday afternoon, northwest of Sagaing, at a shallow depth, as reported by the United States Geological Survey.
Shortly after, a 6.4-magnitude aftershock affected the same region. In Bangkok, a 30-storey building, intended for government office use, collapsed, entrapping 43 workers, according to police and medical personnel.
Videos shared on social media depicted the structure reduced to rubble and twisted metal almost instantaneously.
Worapat Sukthai, Deputy Police Chief of Bang Sue district, reported hearing pleas for help from individuals trapped beneath the debris.
He indicated that hundreds of people may have been injured, with ongoing efforts to determine the exact number of casualties.
In Myanmar, AFP journalists present at the National Museum in Naypyidaw experienced the earthquake firsthand as pieces fell from the ceiling and the building shook. Many staff members evacuated, some visibly shaken, while others attempted to contact loved ones. Nearby roads were severely damaged, and the access route to a major hospital became congested with traffic.
Officials declared the hospital a “mass casualty area” following the quake, with paramedics working diligently to get ambulances through the chaos. Many of the injured were being treated outside the hospital, with intravenous drips attached to gurneys, as family members sought to console them.
The tremors prompted widespread panic, causing residents to flee their homes and workplaces. Duangjai, a resident of Chiang Mai, Thailand, described the experience as she hurriedly left her house in her pajamas, while 76-year-old Sai, working at a convenience store, expressed his shock at experiencing such a strong tremor.
In response to the earthquake, some metro and light rail services in Bangkok were temporarily suspended. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra interrupted her official visit to Phuket to convene an “urgent meeting” about the situation, as conveyed in a post on social media platform X.
Tremors were also detected in Yunnan province, China, where Beijing’s quake agency recorded the jolt at a magnitude of 7.9. Earthquakes are not uncommon in Myanmar, where several significant quakes occurred in the mid-20th century near the Sagaing Fault, which extends through the center of the country. In 2016, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the historical city of Bagan resulted in fatalities and extensive damage to temples.
Experts caution that the rapid urban development in Myanmar, alongside aging infrastructure and inadequate urban planning, has increased the vulnerability of densely populated areas to seismic activity and other disasters. The country’s healthcare system, particularly in rural regions, faces considerable strain and challenges in responding to such emergencies.
