Massive Earthquake Devastates Myanmar and Thailand: Hundreds Feared Dead
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The quake, which also impacted neighboring Thailand, left at least 144 people dead in Myanmar and six in Thailand, with officials warning that the toll could rise significantly in the coming days.
The earthquake’s epicenter was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where buildings collapsed, bridges crumbled, and aftershocks—including one measuring 6.4 in magnitude—continued to rattle the region. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s military government, confirmed that at least 730 people were injured and emphasized that the death toll would likely increase.
Rescue efforts have been hindered by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, which has severely limited access to affected areas. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has estimated that fatalities could exceed 1,000 as information from remote regions begins to emerge.
The destruction in Mandalay has been severe, with multiple buildings, including one of the city’s largest monasteries, reduced to rubble. Video footage shows Buddhist monks filming the Ma Soe Yane monastery as it suddenly collapsed into the ground. There are no confirmed reports on the number of casualties from the monastery collapse.
In Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, emergency teams have been working to pull survivors from the debris of government housing complexes. Images from the scene depict collapsed buildings, buckled roads, and a makeshift medical camp treating the wounded.
Adding to the crisis, Myanmar’s English-language newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, reported that two major bridges had collapsed, including one along a key highway linking Mandalay to Yangon. A dam burst in the affected region, causing floodwaters to rise in low-lying areas, according to reports from Christian Aid workers on the ground.
Myanmar’s government has called for urgent blood donations in the hardest-hit areas. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing stated that Myanmar is willing to accept international aid—an uncommon move for the country’s military-led administration. The United Nations has already allocated $5 million for relief efforts.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who is in his second term, pledged American support for disaster relief. However, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of the U.S. response due to previous cuts in foreign aid through USAID and the State Department.
In Thailand, the earthquake caused a dramatic building collapse in Bangkok, leaving at least six people dead, 22 injured, and 101 missing. The 33-story high-rise, still under construction near the bustling Chatuchak market, crumbled into a cloud of dust, sending onlookers into a panic. Video footage showed bystanders screaming and running for safety as steel and concrete fell in heaps.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit called the collapse a “great tragedy.” Sirens wailed throughout downtown Bangkok as rescue teams rushed to extract survivors from the rubble. Many high-rise buildings in the city swayed violently during the quake, causing widespread fear among residents.
The quake was felt across Thailand’s capital, home to over 17 million people. Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer working in central Bangkok, described the moment she saw lights swinging and heard the creaking of her office building. “We ran down 12 flights of stairs. I’ve never experienced an earthquake like this in Bangkok.”
Scottish tourist Fraser Morton was inside a shopping mall when the tremors began. “The whole building started shaking, and people started screaming. Some tried to run down the escalators going up,” he recounted. Similarly, English traveler Paul Vincent recalled witnessing a rooftop pool spill over and people crying in the streets as buildings swayed dangerously.
The earthquake’s impact reached China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, where it caused damage and injuries in the city of Ruili near the Myanmar border. Reports indicate that the tremors in Mangshi, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, were so intense that people struggled to stand.
With roads cracked, bridges down, and a dam burst worsening flooding, aid workers fear it may take weeks to assess the full scale of the destruction. “This disaster has devastated communities already struggling with conflict and displacement,” said Julie Mehigan of Christian Aid.
Myanmar’s ongoing civil war has left more than 3 million people displaced and nearly 20 million in need of humanitarian assistance, making disaster response even more challenging. Many areas affected by the quake are already dangerous or inaccessible due to ongoing fighting between government forces and armed resistance groups.
As rescue and relief efforts continue, both Myanmar and Thailand face a long road to recovery from one of the deadliest earthquakes to hit the region in years.
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