Massive 7.7-Magnitude Quake Rocks Myanmar and Thailand, Causing Widespread Destruction

Massive Earthquake Strikes Myanmar and Thailand, Killing at Least Three and Causing Widespread Devastation

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, causing widespread destruction and killing at least three people in Bangkok. The quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, was followed by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock, leaving devastation in its wake.

The full extent of casualties and damage remains unclear, especially in Myanmar, where an ongoing civil war and tight media controls make information scarce. However, early reports indicate significant destruction, with numerous buildings collapsing in multiple cities. Images from Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, reveal destroyed government housing and emergency teams pulling victims from the rubble.

The Myanmar government has issued urgent calls for blood donations, particularly in the hardest-hit regions, as hospitals struggle to treat the injured. Infrastructure damage, including cracked roads, collapsed bridges, and a burst dam, raises concerns about how rescuers will reach affected areas in a country already grappling with a humanitarian crisis.

Near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak market, a 33-story building under construction crumbled, engulfing the area in a massive dust cloud. Eyewitness videos showed panicked onlookers screaming and running for safety. At least three people lost their lives in the collapse, while 90 others remain missing, according to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Rescuers have so far pulled seven survivors from the wreckage.

As the earthquake struck, the sound of sirens filled central Bangkok, and major transport systems, including the city’s elevated rapid transit and subway, were temporarily shut down. The earthquake’s impact was unexpected in the Thai capital, which sits on a river delta and is considered at moderate risk for seismic activity.

Many residents and visitors were caught off guard by the quake. April Kanichawanakul, an office worker in Bangkok, initially mistook the tremors for dizziness before realizing what was happening. She and her colleagues rushed down ten flights of stairs, waiting outside for confirmation that it was safe to return.

Tourist Fraser Morton, who was inside a Bangkok mall, described the terrifying experience: “All of a sudden, the whole building started moving. People screamed and panicked. I tried to walk calmly at first, but when the building really started swaying, people were running down the escalators in the wrong direction.”

In Mandalay, Myanmar, the quake caused widespread destruction, including the collapse of the Ma Soe Yane monastery and damage to the city’s former royal palace. A 90-year-old bridge in the Sagaing region also collapsed, cutting off crucial transport routes.

The earthquake’s effects extended beyond Myanmar and Thailand, reaching China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Reports from Ruili, a border city in China, indicate building damage and injuries. Videos show debris-strewn streets and emergency teams transporting the injured to hospitals. In the city of Mangshi, 100 kilometers northeast of Ruili, the tremors were so strong that people struggled to stand.

The Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations are mobilizing aid, but downed power lines and infrastructure damage make access to affected areas challenging. Julie Mehigan, head of Asia, Middle East & Europe for Christian Aid, emphasized the dire situation: “This disaster has left people in desperate need of water, food, and shelter. Myanmar was already facing severe conflict and displacement before this heartbreaking earthquake.”

Myanmar’s military-led government declared a state of emergency in six regions, including Naypyidaw and Mandalay, though the country has been under emergency rule since 2021.

As rescue operations continue, authorities are bracing for further aftershocks and potential structural collapses. With Myanmar’s political instability and Thailand’s unexpected devastation, recovery efforts will be a long and arduous process. The world watches as these nations come to terms with the disaster and work toward rebuilding shattered communities.