Massive Earthquakes Jolt Myanmar & Bangkok

New Delhi, March 28
Two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitudes 7.7 and 6.4 on the Richter Scale jolted Myanmar today. The iconic Ava Bridge in Myanmar’s Mandalay reportedly collapsed into the Irrawaddy River and several buildings collapsed due to the massive quakes, whose epicentre was near Sagaing.

Strong tremors were also felt around 900 km away in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, forcing people to run out of their homes. The tremors sent water sloshing out of pools from high-rises, and several buildings were evacuated as they swayed due to the impact of the quake.

A high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed after the earthquake, and possible casualties are not yet known. The Police said that they were responding to the scene near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak Market and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse. Water from high-rise rooftop pools in Bangkok sloshed over the side as they shook and debris fell from many buildings.

Prime Minister of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the quake. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention said the quake was felt in almost all regions of the country.

Mild tremors were felt in Kolkata and Imphal. Residents of Kolkata and adjoining areas reported feeling mild tremors and noticing wall hangings sway slightly during the earthquake.