Myanmar Earthquakes Updates; Emergency Declared

The casualty toll from a powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand increased on Sunday. According to the ruling junta, around 1,700 people have been reported dead, 3,400 injured, and 300 more are missing. Similarly, the number of deaths in Bangkok increased to 17, according to city officials. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority, 32 people were injured and 82 are still missing, the majority of them from the site of a 30-story tower block under construction that fell after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred on Friday.

The earthquake struck northwest of Sagaing, central Myanmar, and was promptly followed by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock minutes later.  Across the nation, it wrecked bridges, buckled roads, and demolished buildings. Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city and home to almost 1.7 million people, saw the most severe damage.

Key points of the Myanmar earthquake:

• The USGS reports that the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT) with an epicenter 10 kilometers deep near Mandalay. A dozen more tremors followed, including a powerful 6.4 magnitude aftershock.
• Northern Thailand was rocked by tremors that even reached Bangkok, where many fled to the streets as buildings wobbled. There was a building collapse in Chatuchak, Bangkok, and public transportation was momentarily suspended in several areas of the city. The earthquake in Thailand has claimed the lives of at least six individuals.
• Earthquake-related jolts were observed in Vietnam. China’s southwest Yunnan region also felt tremors, with Beijing’s earthquake service classifying the event as a 7.9 magnitude earthquake.
• Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes, having experienced several major earthquakes between 1930 and 1956, especially along the Sagaing Fault, which runs throughout the country’s centre.
• Mild tremors were reported in West Bengal (Kolkata) and Manipur (Imphal). However, authorities indicated that the Myanmar earthquake caused no serious damages or fatalities in these places.

Thailand declare states of emergency

Following the deadly earthquake, Myanmar and Thailand proclaimed states of emergency in their respective countries. On Sunday, emergency response teams began arriving in Myanmar’s worst affected areas. However, their activities face considerable hurdles, including as damaged roads, collapsed bridges, poor communication networks, and the additional complexities of functioning in a country currently embroiled in civil war.

PTI said that several locations had yet to be reached.