Earthquake Hit Myanmar Thailand and Chinese Pronvince
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, with tremors felt across Thailand as well as in nearby Chinese provinces.
The authorities said it was the largest earthquake to hit Myanmar in more than a century. More than 2,000 people are confirmed dead in the war-ravaged country, but experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge.
The quake also triggered the collapse of buildings in Thailand, where the authorities declared an “emergency zone” in the capital Bangkok. Rescue workers on Monday were still trying to rescue dozens of people believed to be trapped under the rubble of an under-construction high-rise in the city.
Where did the earthquake strike?
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake’s epicentre was located 16km (10 miles) north-west of the town of Sagaing. This is also near Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, with a population of about 1.5 million people – and about 200km (125 miles) north of the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
The first earthquake struck at about 12:50 (06:20 GMT), according to the USGS. A second earthquake struck 12 minutes later, with a 6.4 magnitude. Its epicentre was 18km south of Sagaing. Aftershocks have continued since.
Which areas were affected?
The strong quake divided roads into segments, damaged bridges and destroyed many buildings in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) – a country of about 55 million people.
It is considered one of the world’s most geologically “active” areas.
A state of emergency has been declared in the six most impacted regions -Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Shan and Nay Pyi Taw.
Strong tremors were also felt elsewhere, including in Thailand and south-west China.
The Thai capital, Bangkok, sits more than 1,000km (621 miles) from the epicentre of Friday’s earthquake – and yet an unfinished high-rise building in the city was felled by it.
How deadly was the earthquake?
The official death toll in Myanmar stands at more than 2,000 but this is expected to rise as rescuers gain access to more collapsed buildings. Many of the fatalities so far were in Mandalay.
Rescue operations are still ongoing. The military government said more than 3,900 people were injured and at least 270 are missing.
The US Geological Survey’s modelling estimates that Myanmar’s death toll could exceed 10,000, with losses surpassing annual economic output.
Meanwhile, in Bangkok, 19 people have been confirmed dead – 12 of them at the high-rise building that collapsed, where a further 78 people remain missing.
