MYANMAR (SUNDIATA POST)- Myanmar’s ruling military declared a state of emergency on Friday in multiple regions after a strong earthquake rocked the Southeast Asian country.
The earthquake brought down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppled buildings in neighbouring Myanmar’s second-largest city.
The 30-storey building under construction which collapsed resulted in three deaths.
An earlier report said 43 people went missing due to the collapse.
Bangkok city hall also said that Bangkok was declared a disaster area following several high-rise buildings that were damaged.
It is still unclear how many casualties are affected.
Two eyewitnesses also told Reuters that at least three people died after a mosque in Myanmar partially collapsed.
The United States Geological Survey said the quake, which struck at lunchtime, was of 7.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) and was followed by a powerful aftershock.
The epicentre was about 17.2 km from Mandalay, a city with a population of about 1.5 million, in Myanmar.
The epicentre, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 22.01 degrees north latitude and 95.92 degrees east longitude.
The quake caused “considerable damage” to some buildings, including the walled fort of Mandalay Palace.
Multiple structures in the Mandalay Region suffered collapses, while several roads linking Mandalay and Yangon were damaged or blocked thereby disrupting transportation.
It was also reported that the tremors of the earthquake were strongly felt in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw and the largest city of Yangon.
Some schools and office buildings in Nay Pyi Taw were also reported to have crumbled.
However, the Myanmar Fire Service Department said that a rescue operation has been conducted in response to the earthquake.
According to the State Administration Council, the Myanmar government will promptly conduct damage assessments and emergency relief efforts in the affected areas, ensuring the provision of necessary disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Following the earthquake, reporters in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam reported that strong tremors were felt in those areas as well.
In Vientiane, buildings above three stories experienced noticeable shaking, with residents in high-rise buildings feeling intense swaying indoors.
In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, residents living in high-rise buildings also experienced noticeable shaking while at home. (Reuters/NAN)
