A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, with tremors reaching as far as Thailand, China, and parts of India and Bangladesh. The powerful quake, centered near Sagaing, caused widespread panic as buildings trembled and transportation services were halted. An aftershock of 6.8 magnitude followed soon after, intensifying fears. In Bangkok, metro and rail services were briefly suspended, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called for an urgent emergency meeting. China’s Yunnan province also felt the impact, with authorities there reporting the quake’s magnitude as 7.9. Videos shared online captured dramatic scenes of shaking buildings, terrified residents fleeing to the streets, and an infinity pool spilling water over its edge.
In Bangkok, an under-construction skyscraper in the Chatuchak area collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers under the debris, while emergency responders rushed to the scene. “I heard people calling for help, saying ‘help me,’” said Bang Sue district’s deputy police chief. Other footage showed a Buddhist monastery near Taunggyi city in Myanmar crumbling under the tremors, while the historic Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River suffered severe damage. Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, was hit hard, with several buildings reportedly collapsing. Meanwhile, in India, tremors were felt in Kolkata and Manipur, with mild shakes also recorded in Bangladesh’s Dhaka and Chattogram. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured India’s readiness to assist the affected regions.
Myanmar, which lies along the Sagaing Fault, has a history of strong earthquakes, with six major quakes above 7.0 magnitude recorded between 1930 and 1956. The country’s fragile infrastructure and struggling healthcare system make disaster response particularly challenging. In 2016, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Bagan damaged ancient temples and killed three people. The current quake, however, appears to have caused significantly more destruction. Rescue operations are underway, but experts fear that the full extent of the damage and casualties is yet to be determined.
