Huge earthquake hits Myanmar, 2 dead in Bangkok building collapse
MYANMAR, MAR 28 : Two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 6.4 struck Myanmar on Friday, with strong tremors in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, flattening a high-rise and prompting the government to declare an emergency and shut down metro and rail services. Strong aftershocks were also felt in Meghalaya and several northeastern states, Bangladesh, and China’s southwest Yunnan province.
Such was the impact of the earthquake that a high-rise collapsed in Chatuchak district in Bangkok, around 900 km away, killing two labourers. Around 30 others are still trapped. The tremors forced people to run out of their homes, and sent water sloshing out of pools from high-rises.
In Myanmar, three people died after a mosque partially collapsed. The iconic Ava Bridge in Myanmar’s Mandalay also crumbled into the Irrawaddy River due to the massive quake, whose epicentre was near Sagaing.
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Social media posts showed collapsed buildings and debris strewn across the streets of Mandalay. Several roads also developed cracks in the capital Naypyidaw.
“I witnessed a five-storey building collapse in front of my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road and no one dares to go back inside buildings,” an eyewitness told Reuters.
HIGH-RISE COLLAPSES IN BANGKOK, METRO HALTED
In Bangkok, several buildings were evacuated and businesses closed for the day. However, there were no immediate reports of casualties in the Thai capital.
Bangkok went into lockdown as the government closed metro services, airport and subways. The Stock Exchange of Thailand also suspended all trading activities.
“I was sleeping in the house, and then I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building,” a resident of Thailand’s Chiang Mai told AFP.
Terrifying videos that flooded X showed buildings and malls shaking violently and people running out onto the streets in panic.
Another video showed water from an infinity pool splashing over the edge of a skyscraper. Another showed an under-construction high-rise collapsing entirely, leaving a massive plume of smoke.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was concerned by the situation in Myanmar and Thailand and offered India’s assistance.
“Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone. India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, we asked our authorities to be on standby. Also, asked the MEA to remain in touch with the governments of Myanmar and Thailand,” PM Modi tweeted.
Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, which is situated near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the centre of the country, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
In 2016, a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Bagan in central Myanmar, killing three people and injuring several people. The nation, neighbouring India, which is in the midst of a civil war, has a strained medical system.
-PTI
