Hundreds feared dead as quake hits Myanmar and Thailand, junta declares state of emergency
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was of 7.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). It was followed by a powerful aftershock
Highlights
- 7.7-magnitude quake hit Myanmar, Thailand, tremors felt in Bangladesh
- Anti-junta militias says the quake killed at least 12 people
- Buildings collapsed in Mandalay, at least 5 dead, many trapped
- Bangkok high-rise collapsed, 3 dead, 81 missing
- Myanmar declares state of emergency in affected regions
- The 91-year-old Myanmar's Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River collapsed
- Rescue efforts ongoing, death toll expected to rise
A powerful earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday (28 March), killing several people, bringing down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppling buildings in neighbouring Myanmar, where the ruling junta declared a state of emergency in some areas.
At least three people were killed in the town of Taungoo in Myanmar when a mosque partially collapsed, witnesses said, while local media reported that at least two people died and 20 were injured after a hotel collapsed in Aung Ban, reports Reuters.
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The ruling military in Myanmar did not give any numbers for dead and wounded. The diplomatic spokesman for the parallel National Unity Government that opposes the junta said the quake killed at least 12 people and more deaths were likely in the Mandalay area it hit.
Troops from the anti-junta militias, known as the People's Defence Forces, would provide humanitarian help, Zin Mar Aung told Reuters.
In Thailand, the defence minister said rescuers were searching for 81 people trapped in the rubble of a skyscraper that was under construction and collapsed into a pile of rubble.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said there had been three deaths at the building site. He warned of possible aftershocks but urged people to be calm and said the situation was largely under control.
A rescue team based in Mandalay, Myanmar, tells the BBC the number of deaths from the Myanmar earthquake is not yet known - "but is at least in the hundreds. The damage is enormous."
"That's all we can say right now because the rescue efforts are ongoing," they added.
The tremor felt in various parts of Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Chattogram today at around 12:20 pm.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was of 7.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). It was followed by a powerful aftershock.
The epicentre was about 17.2km from the city of Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.2 million, according to USGS.
Bangkok's city authorities declared the capital a disaster-stricken area, saying they needed to assess and monitor damaged areas, and assist people who might still be at risk.
In Bangkok, people ran out onto the streets in panic, many of them hotel guests in bathrobes and swimming costumes as water cascaded down from an elevated pool at a luxury hotel, witnesses said.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's ruling military declared a state of emergency in multiple regions.
"The state will make inquiries on the situation quickly and conduct rescue operations along with providing humanitarian aid," it said on the Telegram messaging app.
An officer from the Myanmar Fire Services Department told Reuters: "We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet."
"We all ran out of the house as everything started shaking," a resident of Mandalay told Reuters. "I witnessed a five-storey building collapse in front of my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road and no one dares to go back inside buildings."
Witnesses contacted in Yangon said many people ran out from buildings in the city, the largest in the country.
Witnesses in Bangkok said people ran out onto the streets in panic, many of them hotel guests in bathrobes and swimming costumes.
Witnesses say multiple buildings collapsed in Mandalay
Three residents of Mandalay, one of Myanmar's largest cities, told Reuters they saw multiple buildings collapsing as scores ran out on to the streets when the quake hit.
Faiz, who gave only one name, said he was praying at a mosque when the quake hit.
"It started shaking as I was cleaning my hands to pray. We all run out of the mosque," he told Reuters.
Another resident Htet Naing Oo said a tea shop on her street collapsed, trapping people inside. "We couldn't go in," she said, "The situation is very bad."
Colonial-era Ava Bridge over Irrawaddy River collapses during earthquake
The 91-year-old Ava Bridge, also known as the Old Sagaing Bridge, which spanned the Irrawaddy River between Mandalay and Sagaing regions and was built by the British during the colonial period, collapsed during the powerful earthquake, reports The Irrawaddy.
Many high-rise buildings in Bangkok damaged
The earthquake caused damage to many high-rise buildings in Bangkok, its governor said.
Chadchart Sittipunt said the number of buildings damaged was not yet known and inspections were underway. He urged people to be cautious.
In Bangkok, 70 construction workers now missing at site of collapsed building
In Thailand's capital Bangkok, 70 construction workers are now missing at the site of a collapsed building site, the National Institute for Emergency Medicine in Thailand says - having earlier reported there were 43 people feared missing, reports BBC.
In a post on Facebook, it adds there were around 320 workers on the site at the time of the collapse, and 20 are trapped in the lift shafts.
The number of deaths is unclear, and a field hospital has been set up at the scene as rescuers continue to look for survivors.
'We got four bodies so far', witness says
A witness from Taungnoo town told Reuters that parts of Kandaw mosque collapsed just before Friday prayers started. People were trapped.
"We got four bodies so far. There can be more. We are arranging the rescues and funeral now. The collapsed happened right before the prayer. People ran out. Some couldn't. "
Reuters could not immediately confirm their report.
'A lot of people stood shell-shocked'
Reuters photojournalist Ann Wang is visiting Bangkok and was near the construction site where a building collapsed.
"I was trying to get lunch inside a mall when the earthquake hit. I looked out and saw a lot of dust rising up from a nearby building. Constructions workers ran out.
"There was dust everywhere, people were running in different directions. Many of them roaming the area covered in dust from the collapse.".
"I saw some construction workers carrying their injured colleagues away from the collapsed building"
"After around 10 minutes of the earthquake, ambulances started arriving. A lot of people stood shell-shocked."
Thai Deputy PM says no state of emergency declared
Following some earlier confusion over whether a state of emergency had been declared in the Thai capital, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the situation in Bangkok remains serious but no state of emergency had been declared.
The Thai civil aviation department said Bangkok's airports were operating normally.
Thailand's stock exchange suspends trading
The Stock Exchange of Thailand suspended all trading activities for the afternoon session on Friday.
"Following the earthquake incident, the Stock Exchange of Thailand hereby announces the immediate suspension of all trading activities," the bourse operator said on its website.
"The closure affects all markets, including SET, the Market for Alternative Investment (MAI), and the Thailand Futures Exchange (TFEX), for today's afternoon session."
The benchmark SET index was last trading 1.05% lower at an over one-week low of 1,175.45 points. It traded around that level most of the session as stocks remained pressured by new US auto tariffs.
Bangkok declared disaster area after quake
Thailand's capital has been declared a disaster area following a strong earthquake in neighboring Myanmar, Bangkok city hall said on Friday.
The Bangkok governor has been placed in charge of coordinating the disaster response, it said.
