A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 shook central Myanmar, prompting the country’s military-led government to declare a state of emergency across six regions. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that the quake’s epicentre was located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing, with tremors reaching deep into southwest China and neighboring Thailand.
The quake, which struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, caused widespread destruction and panic. One of the most tragic incidents occurred in Bangkok, Thailand—hundreds of kilometers from the epicentre—where a high-rise building under construction collapsed. At least 70 workers who were at the site remain unaccounted for.
In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city with a population of around 1.5 million, the damage is being described as overwhelming. A local rescuer speaking to the BBC said the devastation is severe, estimating that the number of casualties could already be in the hundreds.
In the capital, Naypyidaw, reports have emerged of cracked and buckled roads, while emergency services are still trying to assess the full scale of destruction in the affected regions. The quake has disrupted infrastructure and communications, making rescue efforts even more challenging.
Just twelve minutes after the initial tremor, a second earthquake struck. This one had a magnitude of 6.4 and was centered 18 kilometers (around 11 miles) south of Sagaing, adding to fears of continued instability and further damage.
In Yangon, the country’s largest city, Soe Lwin described the experience of the first tremor as intense and prolonged. He mentioned that people there are deeply concerned about the likelihood of more aftershocks, especially in a country with limited resources to handle disasters of this scale.
From Bangkok, Bui Thu, a journalist working with the BBC, recounted the moment the earthquake hit while she was cooking in her apartment. “I was very nervous, I was very panicked,” she said. She expressed concern that buildings in Bangkok aren’t constructed to withstand earthquakes, which could result in significant damage in the days to come.
Myanmar, already facing a deep political crisis since a military coup in 2021, now finds itself grappling with a natural disaster amid ongoing unrest. With most media channels tightly controlled by the state and strict limitations on internet access, gathering accurate information remains a major challenge. This only adds to the uncertainty facing both citizens and aid workers as the situation continues to unfold.