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Israeli nationals living and traveling in Southeast Asia described scenes of fear and confusion Friday after a powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar and sent tremors across the region, including into Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. No injuries among Israelis have been reported, though many shared harrowing accounts of the quake’s impact.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, centered about 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) from Mandalay, Myanmar, was felt across neighboring countries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Aftershocks, including one measured at magnitude 6.4, followed.
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In Bangkok, buildings were evacuated, sirens sounded, and panicked residents rushed into the streets. Several under-construction buildings reportedly collapsed, prompting emergency meetings by Thai authorities and a large-scale search for workers feared trapped beneath rubble.
Among those caught in the chaos was Israeli singer and influencer Miley Tal, 21, who lives in Bangkok with her mother. “It was terrifying,” she told Israeli news outlet Ynet. “My mom said she felt the building moving. I thought she was imagining it — and then there was a huge boom. We grabbed the dog and ran down 13 floors.”
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Tal said she heard loud cracks in the stairwell walls and saw water from the rooftop pool of her 31-story building cascading down. “I shouted to my mom, ‘We’re going to die,’” she said.
In northern Thailand, Shai Zakaria, 58, was in Chiang Mai when the tremors began. “I woke up to the bed shaking under me,” he said. “I threw on pants, ran to wake a friend, and we both rushed out. We didn’t take the elevator — everyone in the hotel was running.”
Zakaria said the walls cracked, plaster fell to the floor and panic gripped hotel guests. “I was sure the building was going to collapse,” he said. “We’ve packed our things in case there’s another quake or we need to evacuate.”
In Bangkok, Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm, a Chabad emissary, said several buildings under construction had collapsed and pools in apartments and hotels had overflowed. “You could feel the whole building twisting,” he said. “Some homes sustained damage, but thankfully, no one was injured.”
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said there were no known Israeli casualties but warned that more tremors were possible. “Israeli travelers in affected areas are advised to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor updates in the media,” the ministry said.
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In Myanmar, the quake caused far greater destruction. Authorities there declared a state of emergency in six regions. At least three people were killed when a mosque collapsed in the capital, Naypyidaw, and hundreds of people were treated for injuries, according to hospital officials.
Myanmar’s military government, which seized power in a 2021 coup, issued a rare appeal for international assistance. “We request that the international community provide humanitarian aid as soon as possible,” a military spokesperson said.
Videos shared on social media from Mandalay showed buildings reduced to rubble and roads cracked open. CNN reported that a bridge connecting northern and southern Myanmar collapsed into a river.