YANGON, Myanmar — A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, toppling buildings, bridges, and a monastery. The quake killed at least 144 people in Myanmar, with video and photos from two severely affected cities revealing extensive damage. In Thailand, a high-rise under construction collapsed in Bangkok, killing 10 people.
The full scale of the destruction in Myanmar remains unclear, particularly in areas where the military government restricts information flow amid an ongoing civil war. Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, announced on television that at least 144 people had died and 730 others were injured.
In Thailand, Bangkok authorities confirmed 10 fatalities, 16 injuries, and 101 missing from three construction sites, including the collapsed high-rise.
The earthquake struck at midday near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, triggering aftershocks, one measuring 6.4 in magnitude. In Mandalay, the quake damaged multiple buildings, including a prominent monastery. Photos from Naypyidaw showed rescue crews retrieving victims from rubble.
Myanmar’s government reported a dire need for blood in the hardest-hit areas. Despite a history of reluctance to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing stated Myanmar was ready for international assistance. The United Nations has allocated $5 million for relief efforts.
In Naypyidaw, rescuers scrambled to clear debris, but concerns grew over how they would reach remote areas already enduring a humanitarian crisis. “We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction,” said Mohammed Riyas, Myanmar director for the International Rescue Committee.
Myanmar’s state media reported collapsed buildings in five cities, two fallen bridges, and severe damage to the capital’s main 1,000-bed hospital. Videos showed monks in Mandalay recording a monastery before it suddenly crumbled. Christian Aid confirmed reports of a dam burst, causing flooding.
In Bangkok, a 33-story building collapsed in a cloud of dust, prompting panic as people fled the scene. Rescuers combed through the debris while ambulances ferried the injured away. The elevated transit system and subway were shut down.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic. “In my lifetime, there was no earthquake like this in Bangkok,” said Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer who fled her office. Tourist Fraser Morton recalled widespread panic in a shopping mall, while Paul Vincent described seeing a high-rise swaying as water poured from a rooftop pool.
The quake was felt as far away as China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, causing damage and injuries in the city of Ruili. Videos showed building debris and injured people being carried on stretchers.
The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences classified the quake as a shallow 10-kilometer event, known to cause severe damage. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the death toll could exceed 1,000.
AP
