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A massive earthquake in Myanmar shook South East Asia on Friday. At the same time, earthquake tremors were felt in Myanmar once again late at night. Due to which people came out of their homes in panic. The intensity of the earthquake was measured at 4.2 on the Richter scale.
Earthquake monitoring services said that after the powerful earthquake in central Myanmar late Friday night, people were seen walking on the streets in the main area of the city. The earthquake also affected Bangkok. Hundreds of people came out of buildings in the Thai capital in panic after the earthquake tremors.
More than 150 people died
Strong earthquake tremors were felt in Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday. Buildings, a bridge and a dam were destroyed by the earthquake. At least 144 people have died in Myanmar. Pictures and videos taken from the two worst-affected cities here show heavy damage. At least 10 people died when an under-construction multi-storey building collapsed in Thailand’s capital Bangkok.
Earthquake intensity recorded at 7.7
The earthquake that struck on Friday afternoon had a magnitude of 7.7 and its epicenter was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city. After this, another powerful tremor of 6.4 magnitude was felt. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the world body is ready to respond to Myanmar’s appeal for international help.
730 people injured
The full picture of deaths, casualties and destruction from the earthquake is not yet clear, especially in Myanmar, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. It is embroiled in civil war and there is strict control over information here. The head of Myanmar’s military government said in a televised address on Friday evening that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured in earthquake-related incidents.
Death toll likely to rise
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that the number of dead and injured is likely to increase. Pictures from the capital Naypyitaw showed that several buildings housing government employees were damaged by the earthquake, and rescue teams were pulling victims out of the rubble. The Myanmar government said that there was a great need for blood in the worst affected areas. Pictures of broken roads and damaged highways in Mandalay, as well as collapsed bridges and dams, raised further concerns about how rescue teams would be able to reach some areas of the country already struggling with a massive humanitarian crisis.
Chaos after the earthquake
Myanmar director of the International Rescue Committee Mohammad Riyas said that it may take us several weeks to know the devastation caused by the earthquake. A picture circulating on social media showed that a 33-storey building under construction near Bangkok’s Chatuchak market, on top of which a crane was placed, turned into a cloud of dust. An atmosphere of chaos was seen immediately after the earthquake. Warning sirens blared across central Bangkok and the number of vehicles on the roads swelled, causing traffic jams on some of the city’s already crowded streets. The elevated rapid transit system and subways were closed.
Earthquakes rare in Thailand’s capital
The area where the jolt was felt is prone to earthquakes, but quakes are not usually this large and they are rare in the Thai capital, which is located on a river delta and has a moderate risk of earthquakes. April Kanichavanakul, who works in an office in Bangkok’s city center, said she did not realize it was an earthquake at first because it was the first time she had experienced one. “I thought I was feeling dizzy,” she said.
Kanichavanakul and her colleagues climbed down from the 10th floor of their building, Tonson Tower, and waited outside for a signal to say it was safe to go inside. Bangkok city officials in Thailand said 10 people were killed, 16 others injured and 101 missing at three construction sites, including a multi-storey building.
More than 17 million people in Greater Bangkok area
According to initial reports, the US Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ Geological Center said the quake struck at noon at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with its epicenter in neighboring Myanmar. City Hall has declared the city a disaster zone to facilitate inter-agency assistance and emergency aid. More than 17 million people live in the Greater Bangkok area, many of them in high-rise buildings.
