A significant earthquake struck west of Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay, on Friday at local noon, with its effects felt in Thailand, China and Vietnam. The quake caused house collapses and panic among the population. International rescue teams have flown to Myanmar to support the search and rescue efforts. Local forces and US Geological Survey (USGS) personnel expect the death toll to rise dramatically as the search and rescue operations continue, with the fear that more people may be trapped under the rubble.
According to the official count from the military regime, the confirmed death toll has surpassed 1,000, with more than 2,376 people injured, as reported on state television. The ongoing civil war in the affected region, following a military coup in 2021 that ousted a democratically elected government, hinders disaster relief efforts on the ground.
Russia, India, Malaysia and Singapore have promptly sent aircraft carrying aid and personnel to Myanmar.
In neighboring Thailand, at least six people died and up to 350 were injured, with the earthquake reaching a magnitude of 7.3 and shaking buildings and high-rises. A 33-story skyscraper under construction in the capital, Bangkok, about 1,000 kilometers from the epicenter, collapsed completely, with at least 30 construction workers reported trapped under the rubble, with 49 still missing.
Initial USGS predictions suggest the death toll in Myanmar could exceed 10,000. Smaller aftershocks followed throughout the day, with the Thai Meteorological Department’s online map showing the weaker quakes occurring mainly in Myanmar and Thailand, including one with a magnitude of 4.0.
The European Union has activated the Copernicus satellite service and allocated the first 2.5 million euros for emergency aid. “The consequences of the earthquake will be better assessed with the support of the satellite service” the European Commission stated in a statement.