A robust 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Thailand and neighbouring Myanmar on Friday, bringing down a skyscraper underneath building in Bangkok and toppling buildings in Mandalay.
No less than one individual was killed in Bangkok and dozens of staff rescued from underneath the rubble of the skyscraper, Thailand’s Nationwide Institute of Emergency Medication mentioned.
Witnesses within the metropolis mentioned folks ran out onto the streets in panic, a lot of them resort friends in bathrobes and swimming costumes as water cascaded down from an elevated pool at a luxurious resort.
America Geological Survey (USGS) mentioned the quake was of seven.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 kilometres. It was adopted by a robust aftershock.
The epicentre was about 17.2 kilometres from the town of Mandalay, which has a inhabitants of about 1.5 million folks.
Myanmar’s military-run authorities has declared a state of emergency in six areas.
Two eyewitnesses from the city of Taungnoo in Myanmar’s Bago area instructed Reuters that no less than three folks have died after a mosque partially collapsed.
“We had been saying prayers when the shaking began… Three died on the spot,” mentioned one of many individuals who spoke to Reuters.
An officer from the Myanmar Fireplace Providers Division instructed Reuters: “We have now began the search and going round Yangon to test for casualties and injury. To date, now we have no info but.”
Social media posts from Mandalay, Myanmar’s historic royal capital that’s on the centre of its Buddhist heartland, confirmed collapsed buildings and particles strewn throughout streets of the town. Reuters couldn’t instantly confirm the posts.
One witness within the metropolis instructed Reuters: “All of us ran out of the home as the whole lot began shaking. I witnessed a five-storey constructing collapse in entrance of my eyes. Everybody in my city is out on the highway and nobody dares to return inside buildings.”
One other witness within the metropolis, Htet Naing Oo, instructed Reuters {that a} tea store had collapsed with a number of folks trapped inside. “We could not go in,” she mentioned. “The scenario may be very unhealthy.”
A 3rd witness mentioned a mosque within the metropolis was badly broken.
China’s Xinhua information company mentioned robust tremors had been felt in southwestern Yunnan province which borders Myanmar, however there have been no experiences of casualties.
Witnesses contacted in Yangon mentioned many individuals ran out from buildings within the metropolis, the biggest within the nation.
In the meantime, witnesses in Bangkok mentioned one downtown workplace tower swayed back and forth for no less than two minutes, with doorways and home windows creaking loudly.
Lots of of workers filed out through emergency stairs as some shocked and panicked staff froze. Loud shrieks could possibly be heard because the constructing continued to sway.
Exterior, lots of gathered within the afternoon solar, whereas employees with medical kits discovered workplace chairs for aged and folks in shock.
Source link