A number of killed as robust earthquake strikes central Myanmar, shakes buildings in Thailand
A strong earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday, killing a number of folks, bringing down a skyscraper beneath development in Bangkok and toppling buildings in neighbouring Myanmar, the place the ruling junta declared a state of emergency in some areas.
Not less than three folks had been killed within the city of Taungoo in Myanmar when a mosque partially collapsed, witnesses mentioned, whereas native media reported that at the least two folks died and 20 had been injured after a lodge collapsed in Aung Ban.
In Thailand, at the least one particular person was killed and dozens of employees had been rescued from beneath the rubble of the skyscraper that had been beneath development in Bangkok, Thailand’s Nationwide Institute of Emergency Drugs mentioned.
In Bangkok, folks ran out onto the streets in panic, lots of them lodge company in bathrobes and swimwear as water cascaded down from an elevated pool at a luxurious lodge, witnesses mentioned.
Bangkok’s metropolis authorities declared the capital a disaster-stricken space, saying they wanted to evaluate and monitor broken areas, and help individuals who may nonetheless be in danger.
America Geological Survey (USGS) mentioned the quake was of seven.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 kilometres. It was adopted by a robust aftershock.
The epicentre was about 17.2 kilometres from town of Mandalay, which has a inhabitants of about 1.5 million folks.
‘The state of affairs could be very dangerous’
Myanmar’s military-run authorities has declared a state of emergency in a number of areas.
“The state will make inquiries on the state of affairs rapidly and conduct rescue operations together with offering humanitarian assist,” it mentioned on the Telegram messaging app.
The junta seized energy in a 2021 coup that led to a civil conflict and has been remoted internationally.
Mandalay is Myanmar’s historical royal capital and on the centre of the nation’s Buddhist heartland.
Social media posts confirmed collapsed buildings and particles strewn throughout streets within the metropolis. Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the posts.
One witness within the metropolis instructed Reuters: “All of us ran out of the home as every part began shaking. I witnessed a five-storey constructing collapse in entrance of my eyes. Everybody in my city is out on the street and nobody dares to return inside buildings.”
One other witness within the metropolis, Htet Naing Oo, instructed Reuters {that a} tea store had collapsed with a number of folks trapped inside. “We could not go in,” she mentioned. “The state of affairs could be very dangerous.”
Two eyewitnesses from the city of Taungnoo in Myanmar’s Bago area instructed Reuters that at the least three folks have died after a mosque partially collapsed.
“We had been saying prayers when the shaking began… Three died on the spot,” mentioned one of many individuals who spoke to Reuters.
Constructing sways in Bangkok
A 3rd witness mentioned a mosque within the metropolis was badly broken.
In the meantime, witnesses in Bangkok mentioned one downtown workplace tower swayed backward and forward for at the least two minutes, with doorways and home windows creaking loudly.
Lots of of staff filed out by way of emergency stairs as some shocked and panicked employees froze. Loud shrieks may very well be heard because the constructing continued to sway.
Exterior, lots of gathered within the afternoon solar, whereas workers with medical kits discovered workplace chairs for aged and other people in shock.
China’s Xinhua information company mentioned robust tremors had been felt in southwestern Yunnan province which borders Myanmar, however there have been no stories of casualties.
