A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday, leaving nearly 150 people dead, hundreds injured, and many trapped under collapsed buildings.
The 7.7-magnitude quake, which struck northwest of Sagaing in central Myanmar, was followed minutes later by a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock.
The tremors caused widespread destruction, flattening buildings, collapsing bridges, and cracking roads across Myanmar.
The devastation extended hundreds of kilometers away, with a 30-story skyscraper under construction in Bangkok reduced to rubble.
While the full extent of the disaster is still unfolding, Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, made a rare public appeal for international assistance.
“So far, 144 people have been confirmed dead, with 732 injured, but the toll is likely to rise,” he said in a televised address after visiting a hospital in Naypyidaw.
“In some places, buildings have collapsed. I invite any country, any organization, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help. Thank you,” he added.
Myanmar has declared a state of emergency in six of the worst-hit regions, as the country—already struggling with the effects of four years of civil war—faces major challenges in responding to the disaster.
The World Health Organization described the earthquake as a “very, very big threat to life and health.”
At a major hospital in Naypyidaw, where part of the emergency department entrance collapsed on a car, hundreds of casualties poured in.
A doctor treating victims described the situation as overwhelming.
“I haven’t seen anything like this before. We are trying to handle the situation, but I’m exhausted,” he told AFP.
Rescue teams worked into the night, attempting to pull survivors from the wreckage of collapsed buildings.
In one case, a mother and son were trapped under rubble in Naypyidaw, but rescue workers struggled to reach them.
Across the border in Thailand, the quake caused significant destruction, including the collapse of a 30-story skyscraper under construction in Bangkok.
At least three workers were confirmed dead, while dozens remained unaccounted for, many believed to be trapped beneath the wreckage.
“I heard people calling for help, saying ‘help me’,” said Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district.
“We estimate that hundreds of people are injured.”
As night fell, around 100 rescue workers gathered at the collapsed building, working under floodlights in a desperate search for survivors.
Visiting the scene, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that all buildings in Bangkok would need to be inspected for structural safety, though the process for such an undertaking was not immediately clear.
An emergency zone was declared in the Thai capital, with metro and light rail services suspended.
The quake also left thousands of commuters stranded, many taking shelter in shopping malls and office buildings.
Parks were ordered to remain open overnight for those unable to return home.
The earthquake’s impact was felt across the region, with reports of tremors in China, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and India.
In Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, 76-year-old Sai was inside a minimart when the ground began to shake.
“This is the strongest tremor I’ve ever experienced in my life,” he said.
Governments and aid organizations around the world have offered assistance, with India, France, and the European Union pledging support.
The WHO is mobilizing trauma supplies from its logistics hub in Dubai.
Pope Francis also expressed sorrow over the disaster, saying he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread devastation.”
Myanmar has a history of strong earthquakes, with the Sagaing Fault running through the country’s center.
Between 1930 and 1956, six major quakes of 7.0 magnitude or higher were recorded in the region.
In 2016, a 6.8-magnitude quake struck the ancient city of Bagan, killing three people and damaging historic temple structures.
