A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, killing over 20 people and leaving dozens trapped under debris. The quake, which occurred northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar, was followed by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock, exacerbating the devastation. It also caused destruction across the border in Thailand, where an under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok collapsed, killing at least three and trapping over 80 workers.
The hardest-hit areas in Myanmar prompted an unprecedented call for international aid from the ruling military junta, which has been struggling with ongoing civil conflict. Authorities declared a state of emergency across six regions, with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of a “very, very big threat to life and health.”
In the capital, Naypyidaw, a hospital official reported that at least 20 people had died, with hundreds of casualties arriving for treatment. The hospital itself suffered damage, with its emergency entrance collapsing on a car, further complicating relief efforts. Medical staff worked tirelessly under extreme pressure, treating patients outside due to the structural instability of the facility.
One doctor, speaking anonymously, expressed the dire situation: “I haven’t seen anything like this before. We are overwhelmed. We need help.”
Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing visited the hospital as the government made an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance. “We want the international community to give humanitarian aid as soon as possible,” said junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun, signaling the scale of the disaster.
In Bangkok, chaos unfolded as a partially completed skyscraper near Chatuchak market crumbled, killing three workers and leaving 81 others trapped. Rescue teams, hindered by unstable debris, carefully assessed the situation, trying to find a safe way to extract survivors.
“I heard people calling for help, saying ‘help me,'” said Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district. Authorities estimate that hundreds are injured, though the full extent remains unclear.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited the site and declared that “every building” in Bangkok would require safety inspections. “We need to ensure the integrity of our infrastructure to prevent further disasters,” she said, though details of how inspections would be carried out remain uncertain.
Across Thailand, particularly in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, residents fled buildings as tremors shook the ground. In Chiang Mai, where power was temporarily knocked out, 76-year-old Sai described his fear: “This is the strongest tremor I’ve experienced in my life.”
Bangkok authorities declared an emergency zone, halting metro and light rail services, causing massive traffic congestion. With transportation systems in disarray, parks were designated as overnight shelters for those unable to return home.
The earthquake’s effects were felt across the region, with reports of tremors in China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and India. India, France, and the European Union have all pledged aid, while the WHO announced that it was mobilizing medical supplies from its logistics hub in Dubai.
Chinese state media showed emergency workers clearing rubble in the border city of Ruili, where footage captured a torrent of water cascading from a high-rise as people fled.
Myanmar, located along the Sagaing Fault, has a long history of devastating earthquakes. Between 1930 and 1956, six quakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher struck near the fault line. More recently, a 6.8-magnitude quake in 2016 damaged historic temples in Bagan and claimed three lives.
This latest disaster has reignited discussions on disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience in both Myanmar and Thailand. As rescue efforts continue, the full toll of this catastrophe remains uncertain, but the urgency for aid and reconstruction is clear.
