Devastating Earthquake Hits Central Myanmar
A powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, unleashing devastation across the region. The quake gouged open roads, toppled century-old religious monuments, and caused the collapse of multistory buildings, adding to the woes of a country already torn apart by civil conflict. The seismic event reverberated throughout Southeast Asia, marking a significant disaster in the region.
Myanmar’s military government reported at least 144 fatalities and 732 injuries across just three cities. However, this figure does not account for the damage in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, which lies perilously close to the epicenter and experienced severe destruction. According to modeling by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the actual death toll could exceed 1,000, with estimates suggesting a chilling possibility of more than 10,000 fatalities, considering the area’s dense population and the vulnerability of its architectural structures.
The earthquake, recorded by the USGS at a magnitude of 7.7, was powerful enough to cause a 33-story building under construction in Bangkok, Thailand, over 600 miles away, to collapse. Tragically, at least eight people were confirmed dead in Thailand, with dozens more unaccounted for, presumed to be part of the 320-member construction crew working on the project commissioned by the Thai government.
The moment the 33-story building crumbled in Bangkok was captured on social media, showcasing the sheer force of the earthquake. Credit: @Khon Su Cheevit Adeet Mai Suay Rok Na/Facebook AFP
The quake struck at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time and is only the third of its magnitude to impact the region in the past century. The USGS analysis placed the epicenter a mere 10 miles from the heart of Mandalay, a bustling city with a population of around 1.5 million. An aftershock measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale was recorded about 11 minutes later, marking the beginning of several significant tremors that followed the initial quake.
Reports indicate that the shaking was felt as far away as Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, and southern China, where state media announced that an unspecified number of injuries occurred in Ruili, a city near the Myanmar border. In response to the disaster, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared Bangkok an “area of emergency” and urged residents to evacuate tall buildings in anticipation of potential aftershocks.
