A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, strongly shaking buildings across a vast expanse of Southeast Asia, and causing damage in cities as far away as Bangkok in neighboring Thailand. At least 13 people were killed in Myanmar, and three in Thailand.
The quake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city with more than a million people, around 12:50 p.m. local time, the United States Geological Survey said. An aftershock of magnitude 6.4 was recorded 12 minutes later.
A magnitude of 7.7 is considered to be strong. At a depth of about six miles, the quake was relatively shallow, which made it likely to cause violent shaking.
After the tremor in Mandalay, buildings were damaged and injured people were rushed to the main hospital. Dozens of patients from the hospital were forced to flee to a nearby parking lot. Many were still hooked up to intravenous drips and oxygen tanks.
In Mandalay the earthquake killed at least 13 people and injured 200 others, according to a doctor at Mandalay General Hospital. It also caused bridges and several buildings across Myanmar to collapse, including in Naypyidaw, the country’s capital, The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state-owned newspaper, reported.
Details about the extent of the damage and casualties in many parts of Myanmar were not immediately available. The nation has been ravaged by a civil war that began after the military seized power in a coup four years ago.
In Bangkok, the streets were full of people who were afraid of aftershocks or were not allowed back into their buildings. Traffic was at a virtual standstill. Several videos captured water surging from pools atop hotels and residential towers in Bangkok.
Videos verified by The New York Times showed the collapse of a 30-story skyscraper that was under construction in Bangkok. The videos showed construction workers and passers-by running for safety, while other videos filmed from an elevated highway showed clouds of dust engulfing the area. Thai news reports described the building as the new Office of the Auditor General.
At least three people died in the building collapse, according to a rescue worker. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Thailand declared Bangkok to be an “area of emergency,” asking residents to evacuate from tall buildings to avoid aftershocks.
The shaking was felt west of Myanmar in Bangladesh, including in its capital, Dhaka, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake also shook buildings in Vietnam, including in Hanoi, the capital, and Ho Chi Minh City, the state-run news outlet VnExpress reported.
Saif Hasnat contributed reporting from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Richard C. Paddock from Bangkok.
