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7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Myanmar, Strong Tremors In Bangkok, 20 Dead
Two large earthquakes - 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude - struck central Myanmar Friday morning, causing tremors as far away as northern Thailand, with reports also coming in of tremors in China.
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake, and an aftershock of 6.8, hit central Myanmar at 12.50pm (local time) Friday. The epicentre was 16km northwest of the city of Sagaing, and at a depth of 10km, the United States Geological Survey said. 20 deaths have been reported - in Myanmar so far - by local media.
Deaths have also been reported from a mosque in Mandalay city, which collapsed while people were inside, praying and a university building in which a fire broke out. And a 1,000-bed hospital in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw has become a "mass casualty area", news agency AFP said.
The Myanmar junta has declared an 'emergency' and has appealed for international aid.
Tremors were felt as far away as northern Thailand, where some metro and rail services were suspended in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is holding an "urgent meeting" to review the crisis and she too has declared a state of 'emergency' in the capital city.
China's Yunnan province also reported strong tremors; the China Earthquake Networks Center said the magnitude was 7.9. And mild tremors were also reported from Kolkata in Bengal and parts of Manipur, where tremors of 4.4 magnitude were recorded as well as Dhaka and Chattogram in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India is ready to offer any assistance needed. "Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone," he posted on X. "... have asked our authorities to be on standby."
Terrifying videos on X showed buildings shaking in Bangkok and other cities, with people running onto the streets in panic. "I heard it... I was sleeping in the house and then I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building," Duangjai, a resident of popular tourist city Chiang Mai, told AFP.
One particularly horrifying video showed water from an infinity pool falling over the edge.
Whole Bangkok shook like Crazy! #Bangkok #earthquake pic.twitter.com/99v7ySZDGc — Srushti Gopani (@DrSrushtiG) March 28, 2025
And another showed a 30-floor, under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok's Chatuchak neighbourhood collapsing. According to reports, 78 workers have been trapped amid the debris.
"When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying help me," Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district, told AFP. "We estimate that hundreds of people are injured but we are still determining the number of casualties."
Three deaths have been confirmed from this spot.
Breaking: Video shows the moment a skyscraper under construction collapsed due to earthquake in Bangkok. pic.twitter.com/OIdxc4epKf — PM Breaking News (@PMBreakingNews) March 28, 2025
In Myanmar, an old bridge over the Irrawaddy River and some residential buildings having collapsed, with images from Mandalay (around 24km from Sagaing) suggesting more people may be trapped.
Devastation across the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, as a result of today's 7.7 magnitude earthquake, with dozens of buildings having collapsed as well as the Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River. pic.twitter.com/8YE8KsxXws — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 28, 2025
Other videos showed extensive damage to the airport in Mandalay and to a monastery near the city of Taunggyi, in Myanmar's Shan State that is on the border to Thailand.
A Buddhist monastery collapsed near Taunggyi city, Shan State which is bordered to Thailand. pic.twitter.com/WmRjpndnjn — Heung Min Son (@heungburma) March 28, 2025
Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the country.
A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake, in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar, killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination.
The impoverished nation has a strained medical system, especially in its rural states.
With input from agencies
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