Devastating Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand Killed 144 Lives and Injured 730 People

Mass Destruction and Rising Death Toll and Infrastructure Collapse Hampers Rescue Efforts

A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday with 7.7 magnitude, with an epicenter near Mandalay, destroying buildings, a bridge, and a dam. At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar, where photos and video from two hard-hit cities showed extensive damage. At least eight died in the Thai capital, where a high-rise under construction collapsed. The full extent of death, injury, and destruction was not immediately clear, particularly in Myanmar, one of the world’s poorest countries. It is embroiled in a civil war and information is tightly controlled.

Government Confirms Rising Casualties

The head of Myanmar’s military government said in a televised speech on Friday evening that at least 144 people were killed and 730 others were injured. “The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said. Photos from the capital of Naypyitaw showed multiple buildings used to house civil servants destroyed by the quake, and rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble. Myanmar’s government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas.

Images of buckled and cracked roads in Mandalay, damaged highways, as well as the collapse of a bridge and dam raised further concerns about how rescuers would even reach some areas in a country already enduring a widespread humanitarian crisis. In Bangkok, at least three people were killed in the building collapse and 90 were missing, according to Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. First responders said that seven people had been rescued so far from the area. At least two of the dead were construction workers who were killed by falling rubble or debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters.

Warnings and Aftershock Fears in Bangkok

The building was being built by the China Railway Construction Corporation for Thailand’s government auditor general. People in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to preliminary reports. Shallower earthquakes tend to cause more damage. Bangkok’s city hall declared the city a disaster area to facilitate the response. The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

Mandalay’s Historic and Religious Sites in Ruins

In Mandalay, the earthquake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including the Ma Soe Yane monastery, one of the largest in the city, and damaged the former royal palace. Christian Aid reported that its partners and colleagues on the ground reported that a dam burst in the city, causing water levels to rise in the lowland areas in the area. A video posted online showed robed monks in the street shooting video of the multistory monastery before it suddenly fell into the ground.

In the Sagaing region just southwest of the city, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, were also damaged. Myanmar’s government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay.

Injuries Reported in China

A earthquake in China’s northeastern Yunnan and Sichuan provinces caused damage to houses and injuries in the city of Ruili, bordering Myanmar. Videos showed debris littering streets and a person being wheeled in a stretcher towards an ambulance. In Mangshi, a city 100 kilometers northeast of Ruili, the shaking was so strong that people couldn’t stand.