A catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand on Friday, leaving a trail of destruction. Myanmar was the hardest hit, with at least 1,002 fatalities and 2,376 injuries, as per the ruling Junta of the country. The epicenter of the quake was close to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, followed by a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock.
In Myanmar, the cities of Naypyidaw and Mandalay witnessed buildings coming down to the ground, including government apartments, bridges, and a dam. Roads cracked, making rescue missions more difficult in a nation already reeling from a humanitarian crisis. Officials urged immediate blood donations as rescue squads labored to extract survivors from the rubble.
In Thailand, at least eight fatalities were reported, three of them in Bangkok, where a 33-story building under construction collapsed close to the Chatuchak market. Video recordings caught the moment when the building collapsed, spewing dust into the air as residents ran away. There was a crane atop the building which fell to the ground. Seven were rescued by first responders, but 90 workers were unaccounted for. The Thai government attested that the building under construction that collapsed was owned by the China Railway Construction Corporation.
Despite no widespread destruction in Bangkok, the tremors were felt across the city, causing rooftop pools to overflow and forcing the shutdown of the subway and elevated transit systems. The earthquake was the strongest to hit Myanmar in over a century, according to US geologists.
Rescue efforts went on throughout the night in both nations, with rescue teams looking for survivors through the rubble. India also declared that it would be sending more than 15 tonnes of relief supplies to Myanmar, such as tents, blankets, hygiene kits, and essential medications. The relief will be transported in an Indian Air Force C-130J plane.
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