A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.7 with its epicenter in Myanmar, and at a depth of 10 kilometers, shook several countries in Southeast Asia on Friday. Local media and agencies from Naypyidaw, the Burmese capital, reported numerous collapsed buildings and bridges, as well as major cracks in roads. The powerful earthquake, strongly felt in neighboring Thailand, was followed by three aftershocks. Official figures from Myanmar are not yet available, but a hospital in the capital reported around twenty fatalities.
Hours after the earthquake, the military junta ruling Myanmar since the 2021 coup, issued an international aid request and declared a "state of emergency" in a central strip of the country, including major cities like Naypyidaw, home to the main coup leaders, as well as Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, the northeast of Shan state, Naypyidaw, and Bago.
In Thailand, the collapse of a thirty-story building under construction in Bangkok resulted in the death of at least three people and 50 injuries, according to the Defense Minister, while the search continues for dozens of missing individuals among the rubble of the skyscraper near the popular Chatuchak market. So far, seven people have been rescued. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared a state of emergency.
Several videos quickly went viral on social media showing water from rooftop pools splashing down from skyscrapers.
In the southern Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi, bordering Myanmar, local media reported feeling the earthquake strongly.
Paul Vincent, a visiting English tourist, was at a bar on the street when the earthquake struck. "The next thing I knew, everyone was out on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panic, which obviously made things worse," he said, as reported by Ap.
"When I went out on the street, I saw a skyscraper swaying and water falling from a rooftop pool. When I saw the building, my goodness, that's when... I realized," he said. "There were people crying in the streets, and the panic was really terrifying."
Population advised to stay outdoors due to possible aftershocks
Streets near the collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok, in the Chatuchak area, are closed to vehicle traffic, with dozens of ambulances and military personnel present, as reported by Efe.
Firefighters and rescue teams are on-site, where the Department of Medical Services has set up a field hospital to treat the injured.
Thailand's Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, declared a state of emergency in the capital, where numerous residential buildings and offices were temporarily evacuated in Bangkok, over 600 kilometers from the epicenter.
All metro and light rail lines were also temporarily suspended. The Thai Meteorological Department warned of possible aftershocks and advised the population to remain outdoors.
Building collapse in Bangkok: 320 people inside the construction
At least three people died, and 83 are trapped after a building under construction collapsed in Bangkok, according to Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. The collapsed building was in its final construction phase in the Chatuchak area, home to a popular street market, as reported by Efe.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated that 81 individuals were trapped according to initial estimates after an inspection.
The Bangkok Emergency Medicine Institute (INME) stated that at least 50 were injured at the site. Authorities, based on information from the construction company, reported that 320 people were inside the building when it collapsed, with 20 workers "trapped in an elevator shaft."
High demand for blood in Mandalay hospitals, especially
Major General Zaw Min Tun, government military spokesperson, reported on state television MRTV that there is a high demand for blood in hospitals in the areas affected by the earthquake, especially in Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw. He urged blood donors to contact hospitals as soon as possible, according to Ap.
90-year-old bridge collapses
In the Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and sections of the highway connecting Mandalay to Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, suffered damage. In the capital, Naypyidaw, the earthquake caused damage to religious shrines, some parts of which fell to the ground, as reported by Ap.
Myanmar earthquake strongly felt in southern China areas
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that shook Myanmar was also strongly felt in various cities in China's Yunnan province (south), with reported minor damages so far. The earthquake's epicenter was about 294 kilometers from the Chinese border, causing strong tremors in towns like Dehong, Lincang, Baoshan, and Dali, among others, as reported by Efe.
Local authorities reported some material damages in Ruili, the city closest to the epicenter, with two individuals sustaining minor injuries. In other areas of Yunnan, such as Jinghong and Xishuangbanna, the tremors were notably strong, but no victims or significant damages have been reported thus far, according to authorities.
Despite the strong tremors, the region's traffic and infrastructure, including communications and energy, are operating normally. However, due to the tremors, some trains were temporarily halted to ensure passenger safety, with railway operations resuming after verifying no equipment damages.
EU ready to provide assistance
The EU is prepared to offer emergency aid to Myanmar and Thailand, announced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday. "Heartbreaking images from Myanmar and Thailand following the devastating earthquake. (...) European Copernicus satellites are already assisting rescuers. We are ready to provide further support," she stated on X network, as reported by Afp.
Meanwhile, European Crisis Management Commissioner, Belgian Hadja Lahbib, reiterated the bloc's readiness to provide emergency aid to the affected countries.
"We are monitoring the situation and have activated the Copernicus observation system to facilitate impact assessment. The EU is ready to provide emergency support," she added on X network.
Myanmar hospital reports initial death toll of around twenty
At least twenty individuals died at a major hospital in Myanmar's capital following the strong earthquake that struck the country on Friday, as reported by a doctor to Afp.
"At the moment, around 20 individuals have died upon arrival at our hospital. Many people have been injured," stated a doctor from the general hospital in Naypyidaw, which has a thousand beds.
Impact in Myanmar expected to be significant: main bridge collapses, concerns over a dam
A major earthquake of magnitude 7.7 in northwestern Myanmar, followed shortly by a magnitude 6.4 aftershock, caused severe damage to the country's infrastructure, including the collapse of a bridge crucial for communication in that region and concerns over the damage it may have caused to a large dam.
This was highlighted on Friday by the coordinator of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Marie Manrique, via teleconference from Yangon, the country's largest city and economic center.
"One of the most important things to understand is that not only are buildings with cracks and fissures affected, but also public buildings and structures have collapsed. This includes roads, bridges, and public buildings," stated the humanitarian official, as reported by Efe.
She confirmed the collapse of the main bridge connecting Mandalay to Sagain, the town closest to the country's center, which will pose a significant logistical challenge to access the population in the latter town.
"We are working with very limited information at this time. As we progress, we will have a better understanding of the extent of the damage. However, we can imagine that the impact will be quite significant and that the situation will be worse for the most vulnerable individuals due to the prolonged crisis in the country,"