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Strong Earthquake Shakes Myanmar and Thailand, State of Emergency Declared
A significant earthquake, measuring 7.7 in magnitude, has struck Myanmar and Thailand, prompting emergency declarations and raising concerns about potential widespread casualties. The powerful tremors resonated through the region, causing high-rise buildings to sway and resulting in the collapse of some structures.
Seismic Activity Details
According to the U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ Centre for Geosciences, the initial earthquake originated at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles beneath the surface. A subsequent aftershock, registering a magnitude of 6.4, occurred in the same vicinity approximately 12 minutes later.
Mosque Collapse and Casualties in Mandalay
The intensity of the seismic event led to the collapse of a mosque in Mandalay, a city near the earthquake‘s epicenter. Reports indicate that at least ten worshippers perished in this incident.
Hospitals Overwhelmed in Myanmar
In Naypyidaw, Myanmar‘s capital, a major hospital has declared a ‘mass casualty area’ as they grapple with the influx of injured individuals. Authorities anticipate that the death toll will likely increase as assessments continue in areas where buildings were toppled and debris poses hazards.
Impact in Thailand and Bangkok
The earthquake‘s effects were also widely felt in neighboring Thailand. A state of emergency has been declared in the nation’s capital, Bangkok, a sprawling metropolis of over 17 million residents, many of whom reside in tall apartment buildings.
Building Collapse in Bangkok
Video footage has captured the dramatic moment when a building under construction in Bangkok gave way and collapsed under the force of the earthquake.
At least one fatality has been confirmed, and emergency responders successfully extricated dozens of workers from the rubble of the collapsed skyscraper. Local news outlets have reported that approximately 43 workers remain unaccounted for following the incident.
Panic and Evacuations in Bangkok
As the earthquake struck at approximately 1:30 pm local time, alarms sounded in buildings across Bangkok. Startled residents and tourists were evacuated via stairwells from high-rise buildings and hotels in the densely populated downtown core.
Many individuals remained outdoors in the immediate aftermath, seeking refuge from the midday sun in the city’s streets.
Witness Accounts of the Earthquake
The sheer force of the tremors was evident as water surged out of swimming pools, even those situated high above street level in skyscrapers.
Eyewitnesses in Bangkok described scenes of panic as people fled into the streets. Many hotel guests, some clad in bathrobes and swimwear, evacuated as water cascaded from elevated pools at luxury hotels.
Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, recounted his experience in a Bangkok mall: ‘All of a sudden the whole building began to move, immediately there was screaming and a lot of panic… I just started walking calmly at first but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators, lots of banging and crashing inside the mall.’
Like numerous others in central Bangkok, Morton sought safety in Benjasiri Park, away from the surrounding tall buildings.
‘I got outside and then looked up at the building and the whole building was moving, dust and debris, it was pretty intense,’ he stated. ‘Lots of chaos.’
Myanmar’s Pre-existing Challenges
The earthquake has struck Myanmar at a time when the nation is already embroiled in civil conflict.
At a major general hospital in the capital with 1,000 beds, numerous injured individuals received treatment outside the emergency department. Some were visibly in pain, while others lay motionless as family members offered comfort.
In Mandalay, close to the earthquake‘s origin, damage was reported to parts of the former royal palace and other buildings, according to images and videos shared on social media platforms.
While the region is known to be seismically active, population density is generally low, with predominantly low-rise constructions.
In the Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and sections of the highway linking Mandalay and Yangon, Myanmar‘s largest city, sustained damage.
In Naypyitaw, religious shrines suffered damage, with components toppling, and some residences were also affected.
Transportation Disruptions in Bangkok
The seismic event caused damage to buildings in Bangkok and led to the temporary suspension of some metro and light rail services within the city.
Government Response
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced on Friday that she had interrupted an official visit to Phuket to convene an ‘urgent meeting’ in response to the earthquake, as communicated via social media.
Regional Seismic Activity
Tremors were also felt in China’s Yunnan province, according to Chinese earthquake monitoring agencies, who recorded the event at a magnitude of 7.9.
Earthquakes are relatively frequent in Myanmar, which has experienced six significant earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater between 1930 and 1956, primarily along the Sagaing Fault that transects the country from north to south, as per the USGS.
A notable 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Bagan, Myanmar, in 2016 resulted in three fatalities and caused damage to historic temples in the popular tourist destination.
Vulnerability and Infrastructure Concerns
Experts highlight that rapid urbanization in Myanmar, coupled with aging infrastructure and inadequate urban planning, has made the country’s densely populated areas increasingly susceptible to earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Furthermore, Myanmar, classified as a developing Southeast Asian nation, faces challenges with a strained healthcare system, particularly in rural regions.