At least 144 people have died and 732 have been injured after a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, with at least nine more fatalities reported in neighbouring Thailand, where a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar at 12:50 pm local time on Friday at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles). Its epicentre was located approximately 11 miles (17.2km) from Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city.
Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, warned that the death toll could rise and made a rare appeal for international assistance, urging “any country, any organisation” to aid in relief efforts.
The military government also highlighted a pressing need for blood donations in the worst-affected areas, raising concerns about the ability of rescuers to reach devastated regions in a country already grappling with a humanitarian crisis.
In Thailand, authorities reported that eight of the nine recorded deaths occurred when a high-rise building in Bangkok collapsed. Rescuers are searching for 81 people still trapped in the rubble. Damage was also reported in parts of China.
In Myanmar, reports indicated casualties in Mandalay as well as the towns of Toungoo and Aungban. Hundreds of injured people have been transported to a hospital in the capital, Naypyidaw, where many are receiving treatment outdoors due to structural damage to the facility.
According to The Guardian UK, a rescue worker from Amarapura, who described the incident said, “I have never experienced anything like this before – our town looks like a collapsed city.”
He added, “We received calls for help from people from the inside, but we cannot help because we do not have enough manpower and machines to remove the debris, but we will not stop working.”
While the full scale of the destruction remains unclear, emerging footage from central Myanmar shows widespread structural damage, with many buildings either collapsed or severely affected.
In Bangkok, officials have declared the city a disaster area to facilitate rescue and recovery efforts. Panic spread across the city, with people fleeing into the streets, including hotel guests seen in bathrobes and swimming attire as water cascaded from an elevated pool at a luxury hotel. In Chiang Mai, a northern tourist hotspot, power briefly went out, and residents rushed outside in shock.
“I quickly rushed out of the shop along with other customers,” said Sai, 76, who was working at a minimart in Chiang Mai when the tremors struck. “This is the strongest tremor I’ve experienced in my life,” Sai told Agence France-Presse.
Mohamed Riyas, regional director of the International Rescue Committee, warned that the disaster could leave thousands displaced and in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical aid.
“We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake, as communication network lines are down and transport is disrupted,” he said. “The damage to infrastructure and homes, loss of life, and injuries sustained by communities affected should not be underestimated.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres extended his condolences, stating that regional networks were mobilising to provide assistance.
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Myanmar’s junta, already facing armed resistance from anti-government militias, has declared a state of emergency in the six worst-affected regions. Alongside its call for international aid, state television issued a domestic plea for medical supplies and blood donations, citing a large number of injuries in three major cities.
The military government’s grip on the country may be further tested by the crisis, with anti-junta militias, known as the people’s defence forces, pledging to provide humanitarian assistance.
Footage reportedly filmed inside Mandalay airport showed panicked travellers fleeing through hallways covered in debris. Videos published by local media depicted people crouching outside the airport for safety.
A witness in Mandalay described the extent of the devastation. “The whole of Mandalay city was affected by the earthquake. The rescue teams and hospitals are now overrun. We are managing with the resources we have in the neighbourhood,” they said.
In Toungoo, in the Bago region, at least three people died when a mosque partially collapsed during prayers. “We were saying prayers when the shaking started … Three died on the spot,” a witness told Reuters.
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