Earthquake in Myanmar: Tremors cause skyscraper collapse in Bangkok
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck Myanmar, causing a skyscraper to collapse in Bangkok. At least 43 people were trapped under the rubble. The tremors were felt as far as Bangkok.
What do you need to know?
- Epicentre of the earthquake was located in central Myanmar, about 50 kilometres east of the city of Monywa. The tremors had a magnitude of 7.7 and occurred around 2:20 PM local time.
- In Bangkok, the earthquake caused buildings to sway, leading to the evacuation of residents.
- Skyscraper collapse in Chatuchak Park in Bangkok trapped at least 43 people. There were 50 people in the building.
What were the effects of the earthquake in Myanmar?
The epicentre of the earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 was located in central Myanmar, about 50 kilometres east of the city of Monywa. The tremors were strong enough that people fled in panic from buildings in Yangon.
"We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet," said an officer from the Myanmar Fire Department in a conversation with Reuters.
What happened in Bangkok? Trapped workers
In Bangkok, the earthquake caused buildings to sway, leading to the evacuation of residents. In Chatuchak Park, a skyscraper collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers.
According to the National Institute of Emergency Medicine, there were 50 people in the building.
Aftershocks with a magnitude of 6.4 occurred about 12 minutes after the first earthquake, according to CNN. Water spilled from pools on the rooftops of skyscrapers, indicating the strength of the tremors. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported that the earthquake was shallow, at a depth of just about 10 kilometres.
