Powerful 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Burma and Thailand, Causing Building Collapses

March 29, 2025 by No Comments

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A significant earthquake, registering 7.7 in magnitude, struck Burma and Thailand on Friday, leading to building collapses and widespread panic.

The tremor was felt across nearly all areas of Burma, with aftershocks extending into India and China. The current status of injuries and potential deaths remains unclear.

The USGS reported an aftershock of 6.4 magnitude. People who had evacuated buildings in Bangkok were advised to remain outdoors as a precaution against further tremors.

A widely circulated video on social media depicted a multi-story building in Bangkok, topped with a crane, collapsing into a cloud of dust as onlookers fled in terror.

Police are on the scene near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak Market, but details regarding the number of workers present at the time of the collapse are currently unavailable.

According to preliminary reports from the U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ geosciences center, the earthquake originated in Myanmar at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles.

Water surged from rooftop pools of high-rise buildings in Bangkok, and debris was dislodged from numerous structures due to the shaking.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has convened an emergency meeting to evaluate the earthquake’s impact.

The greater Bangkok area, with its population exceeding 17 million, houses many residents in high-rise apartments.

Building alarms were activated as the earthquake struck around 1:30 p.m., prompting the evacuation of startled residents from high-rise condominiums and hotels in Bangkok’s densely populated center.

Evacuees gathered in the streets, seeking shelter from the midday sun in the immediate aftermath of the quake.

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention confirmed that the earthquake was felt in almost every region of the nation.

The earthquake’s epicenter was located in central Myanmar, approximately 30 miles east of Monywa.

In Naypyitaw, the capital city, religious shrines sustained damage, with some elements falling to the ground, and some homes were impacted.

“We have started the search and are going around Yangon to check. So far, we have no information yet,” a Burmese fire official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, dozens are reported missing, and rescue teams are being assembled to search for survivors, according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC).

Further reports of damage are not immediately available from Burma, a nation currently experiencing civil conflict.

The official Xinhua News Agency reports that approximately 188 individuals have been injured in Tibet, on the Chinese side of the border.