A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook much of Southeast Asia on Friday, causing a significant rise in casualties and flattening skyscrapers from the bustling streets of Myanmar to the vibrant landscape of Thailand.
The epicenter was located in the historic city of Mandalay, Myanmar, which is the nation’s second-largest metropolis. Even in Bangkok, which lies roughly 600 miles away, the extensive tremors were strongly felt, leading to remarkable damage throughout the city — including the complete collapse of a skyscraper that was under construction.
Casualties are anticipated to increase as search and rescue teams diligently work through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Myanmar and Thailand, officials reported.
In Myanmar, the grim death toll has surged to 2,056. Over 3,900 individuals have sustained injuries, and 270 are currently unaccounted for, according to information released by the Myanmar Military Junta.
In Bangkok, the situation is equally dire, with at least 13 fatalities reported in a building collapse in the bustling district of Chatuchak, as confirmed by the Bangkok Metro Authority.
The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar has announced up to $2 million to address humanitarian needs in the aftermath of last week’s earthquake, calling it part of the United States’ “immediate response” to the disaster.
Additionally, a small U.S. Agency for International Development emergency response team has been deployed to assess the situation in Myanmar, but officials said that as of Monday morning, they had not yet been able to enter the country.
Officials at the State Department said discussions regarding a more extensive response to the earthquake are ongoing, including the possibility of sending a Disaster Assistance Response Team.
State media said the quake caused the collapse of buildings in five cities and towns, as well as a railway bridge and a road bridge on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway. Images showed the destroyed Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River, its arches leaning into the water.
A Mandalay resident said destruction stretched across the whole city, and one neighbourhood, Sein Pan, was on fire.
Roads were damaged, phone lines disrupted and there was no electricity, said the resident, who declined to be named.
At least three people died after a mosque in Taungoo partially collapsed, two witnesses said.
“We were saying prayers when the shaking started… Three died on the spot,” one said.
Local media reported a hotel in Aung Ban, in Shan state, crumbled into rubble, with the Democratic Voice of Burma reporting two people had died and 20 were trapped.