Magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar: Thousands feared dead, damage as far as Bangkok

Naypyidaw, Myanmar – A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck central Myanmar, sparking panic and causing widespread collapse, threatening a humanitarian catastrophe.

Just 12 minutes later, a second 6.4 magnitude earthquake worsened the situation, causing further destruction. The USGS warns: "Thousands of deaths possible."

Epicenter near Sagaing, damage in Mandalay and Bangkok

The epicenter of the main earthquake, recorded at 14pm local time (20am in Italy), was located just 07km deep, near Sagaing, along the seismic fault that crosses the country.

In the historic city of Mandalay, an ancient capital full of temples and pagodas, a bridge over the Irrawaddy River collapsed, while images of buildings in ruins spread on social media. At least 25 victims have been confirmed, including several children, who died when a mosque collapsed.

But the effects of the earthquake extended far beyond Myanmar's borders. In Bangkok, over 1.000 km from the epicentre, a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed, burying dozens of workers. At the moment there are 43 missing and at least 4 confirmed dead, but the toll could worsen.

Humanitarian emergency: military junta calls for aid

The military junta in power since 2021, in an unusual move, has launched an urgent appeal to the international community to receive aid, a sign of a crisis of potentially enormous proportions. A state of emergency has been declared in six regions, including Sagaing, Mandalay and Shan State.

In the capital Naypyidaw, the main hospital is overcrowded: “The wounded lie en masse on the ground, some writhing in pain”, an official told AFP. Relatives are trying to care for patients outside the facility as authorities struggle to manage the emergency.

Tremors felt across Southeast Asia

The shock, 300 times more powerful than the one in Amatrice in 2016, was perceived in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Yunnan Province of ChinaIn Chiang Mai, Thailand, residents fled into the streets in their pajamas, while in Bangkok many abandoned buildings in panic.

Myanmar is a country at high seismic risk, but an event of this magnitude is rare. In 2016, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake killed three people and damaged several ancient temples in Bagan. Now, with fragile infrastructure and a country already impoverished by years of conflict, the final outcome could be dramatic.