A massive earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck central Myanmar on Friday at 12:50 PM (local time), followed by a strong aftershock of 6.8 magnitude. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the epicenter was located 16 km northwest of Sagaing city, approximately 250 km from the country’s capital, Naypyidaw. The quake originated at a depth of 10 km.
As of now, no casualties have been reported, and no tsunami warning has been issued. However, the powerful tremors were felt across multiple regions, prompting immediate responses from neighboring countries. Northern Thailand experienced strong seismic activity, leading to the suspension of metro and rail services in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called for an urgent meeting to assess the situation and has declared a state of emergency in the capital.
China’s Yunnan province also reported significant tremors, with the China Earthquake Networks Center estimating the magnitude at 7.9. In India, mild tremors were experienced in Kolkata, parts of Manipur, and neighboring Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Chattogram.
Social media was flooded with terrifying visuals of buildings shaking violently and people rushing to open spaces in fear. In Bangkok and other affected cities, videos on X (formerly Twitter) showed widespread panic. A resident of Chiang Mai, a popular tourist destination in Thailand, described the experience, saying, “I was asleep when I felt it. I woke up and ran out of the building as fast as I could in my pyjamas.”
Authorities in affected regions are closely monitoring the situation, and further updates are awaited regarding any structural damage or casualties.
Inputs taken from web; this is a web-generated news report.
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