Powerful Earthquake Strikes Myanmar

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Myanmar

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck at 12:50 local time (06:20 GMT) 16 km northwest of Sagaing city, at a depth of 10 km.

China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) reported
The China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) put the magnitude of the quake at 7.9, and tremors were also felt in Yunnan, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Earthquake effects
There were no immediate reports of damage from the quake in Myanmar, which is already embroiled in a civil war.

People rushed out of high-rise buildings after the quake shook the Thai capital, Bangkok.

Witnesses said the tremors were so strong that water from ponds overflowed.

Rescue teams have been alerted, and aftershocks are feared. Stay tuned for more details.

43 people trapped in Bangkok building collapse, rescue operation underway
A building collapsed in Bangkok’s Chatuchak Park, trapping 43 people under rubble, while 7 others were injured.

Mandalay in Crisis: Earthquake and Civil War Shake Myanmar’s Cultural Hub

According to the National Institute for Emergency Medicine, 50 people were inside the building at the time of the accident. Rescue teams immediately reached the scene and rescue operations are underway.

Officials say heavy machinery is being used to extract people trapped in the rubble, while the injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural and religious capital, home to more than a million people, is home to several Buddhist monasteries and the historic royal palace where kings once ruled.

Phone lines have been down since a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in neighboring Sagaing, cutting off contact with residents.

Situated on the mighty Irrawaddy River, Mandalay is a center of spiritual life in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

It lies on a major trade route that runs from the hills of Shan State to the Chinese border, but a military coup and civil war have disrupted trade.

Since the 2021 military coup, ethnic rebels and pro-democracy groups have clashed with the military, blocking roads and paralyzing businesses.

Mandalay has also been the target of attacks by pro-democracy rebels. In October last year, the Chinese consulate was bombed, which the military rulers blamed on their opponents.

The country’s deteriorating security situation, trade barriers and natural disasters have left the citizens of Mandalay at a difficult crossroads, where peace and stability still seem a distant dream.