Myanmar: A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, sending shockwaves across Southeast Asia, claiming multiple lives, and causing significant destruction. At least 144 people have died and 732 have been injured, according to reports.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake originated at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), with its epicenter located just 17 km from Mandalay, a city of 1.5 million people.
Casualties and Structural Damage
Myanmar bore the brunt of the devastation, with at least three fatalities reported in Taungoo due to a mosque’s partial collapse, and two others killed in Aung Ban when a hotel crumbled.
Additionally, 20 people sustained injuries. The earthquake also led to the destruction of buildings across five towns and cities, along with a railway bridge and a road bridge along the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway.
Images from Myanmar depicted collapsed structures, including the historic Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River.
Rescue Operations Underway in Thailand
Thailand also felt the tremors, with the collapse of a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok trapping 81 people under the rubble.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed three fatalities at the construction site and urged calm while cautioning against potential aftershocks.
In the heart of Bangkok, office towers swayed alarmingly, forcing workers and residents to evacuate. Witnesses described doors and windows creaking, walls cracking, and even parts of ceilings falling.
Humanitarian Crisis
Myanmar’s ruling military, already entangled in a civil conflict, declared a state of emergency but provided little clarity on the extent of damage. The junta pledged swift rescue and humanitarian efforts, though restricted media access has left many details uncertain.
The earthquake exacerbates an already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, where over three million people are displaced due to ongoing conflict. Amnesty International’s Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman emphasized the added challenges for aid delivery, especially given previous reductions in international assistance.
Regional Impact
The tremors were felt as far as China’s Yunnan province, though no casualties were reported. In Thailand, the Stock Exchange of Thailand temporarily suspended trading as a precautionary measure.
The earthquake follows a series of natural disasters that have tested Myanmar’s resilience, including Cyclone Mocha in 2023 and Typhoon Yagi last year.
