An earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday, killing at least two people in Bangkok and burying an unknown number when a high-rise under construction collapsed.
A powerful earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Footage shared on social media from Myanmar’s second-largest city showed widespread destruction, raising fears that many were trapped under the rubble or killed.
The 7.7 magnitude quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay in Myanmar, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock.
The extent of the death, injury and destruction — especially in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a brutal civil war that has already caused a widespread humanitarian crisis — was not yet clear. Myanmar’s government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas, and videos from the country showed multiple collapsed houses and buckled and cracked roads.
A dramatic video of the building’s collapse near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak market showed the multistory building with a crane on top toppling into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran.
The sound of sirens echoed throughout central Bangkok and vehicles filled the streets, leaving some of the city’s already congested streets gridlocked. The elevated rapid transit system and subway were shut down.
While the area where the quake struck is prone to earthquakes, they are usually not so big and it is rare for them to felt in the Thai capital.
April Kanichawanakul, who works in an office building in Bangkok’s city center, at first didn’t even realize it was an earthquake, the first she’d ever experienced. “I just thought I was dizzy,” she said.
She and her colleagues ran downstairs from the 10th floor of their building and waited outside for a signal that it was safe to go back in.
Myanmar’s military-run government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay. It was not clear what the declaration meant since the entire country has been under a state of emergency since 2021, when the army seized power. Given the civil war, it was also not clear how help would get to many regions.
The Red Cross said downed power lines added to challenges for their teams trying to reach Mandalay and Sagaing regions and southern Shan state.
“Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,” the Red Cross said. “Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.
