Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Hundreds Feared Dead

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has struck central Myanmar, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

The quake’s epicenter was located 16km (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing at a depth of 10km, sending tremors that were felt as far as southwestern China and Thailand.

In Bangkok, Thailand, at least 70 construction workers are missing after an unfinished high-rise building collapsed due to the tremors.

A rescuer in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, described the devastation as “enormous,” estimating casualties to be “at least in the hundreds.”

Reports indicate that roads have buckled in the capital, Naypyidaw, prompting the country’s military government to declare a state of emergency across six regions.

Mandalay, a city of approximately 1.5 million people, is near the earthquake’s impact zone.

A second earthquake, registering a magnitude of 6.4, struck just 12 minutes after the first, with its epicenter 18km (11.1 miles) south of Sagaing, according to the USGS.

In Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, resident Soe Lwin described feeling the first tremor for an “extended period,” adding that many are now fearful of potential aftershocks.

Bui Thu, a BBC journalist in Bangkok, recounted her experience during the quake. “I was very nervous, I was very panicked,” she said. “Buildings in Bangkok are not designed for earthquakes, so I think there’s going to be significant damage.”

Myanmar, already in political turmoil since a 2021 military coup, faces additional challenges in accessing and disseminating information, as the state tightly controls local media and internet usage.