Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
A powerful earthquake in Myanmar has left at least 144 dead and more than 700 injured, according to the military junta. The earthquake led to the collapse of buildings, particularly in the Sagaing and Maiktila regions. A U.S. forecasting agency has warned that the number of fatalities could rise into the thousands, as the tremor's intensity—measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale—suggests more widespread destruction.
The affected regions are home to buildings that are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, and there are concerns over potential dam collapses, which could lead to catastrophic flooding.
live
Panic during the earthquake Myanmar
(Video: Reuters)
In the Thai capital of Bangkok, the earthquake—felt more than 1,000 kilometers away—caused panic as residents fled swaying buildings. At least nine people were reported dead, and more than 100 are missing, most of them following the collapse of a 30-story tower. Thai authorities have closed schools nationwide to assess the extent of the damage.
Geologists say the earthquake was centered near the city of Mandalay in central Myanmar. Just minutes after the main shock, a 6.4 magnitude aftershock was felt. This earthquake marks the strongest in the world since the deadly tremor in Turkey and Syria in 2023.
In Bangkok, many Israeli residents also felt the shaking, but no Israeli casualties have been reported. Israeli citizen Guy Levy, who lives in a high-rise building in Bangkok, described his harrowing experience, recounting how he fled 41 floors on foot after feeling dizziness and seeing cracks in his apartment. His partner, Danielle Alon, was in a cafe at the time and said she feared for Levy’s safety when she saw the building shaking.
Miley Tal, a 21-year-old singer and social media influencer in Bangkok, recalled running with her mother and dog as their building shook violently. "We heard loud bangs, and the walls in the stairwell started cracking. It was terrifying," she said.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The governor of Bangkok confirmed that numerous skyscrapers in the city were damaged, but the full extent of the destruction is still being evaluated. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister stated that such an event hadn’t occurred in the country in the last century.
In Myanmar, rescue teams are working in heavily impacted areas. A rescue worker in Mandalay described the damage as "massive," while in the capital Naypyidaw, a disaster zone has been declared.
The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded at 7.7, matching the power of the devastating 2023 quake in Turkey and Syria, which killed tens of thousands.