Tan-Tan – A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, killing at least 144 people and injuring more than 730 others. Officials expect the death toll to rise as rescue efforts continue.
The earthquake was one of the strongest to hit the country in recent years. It shook parts of Southeast Asia, with tremors felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand, and China’s Yunnan province.
The earthquake prompted an unusual response from Myanmar’s military government, which has largely isolated the country during its ongoing civil war. The junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, declared a state of emergency and made a rare plea for international assistance.
“We issue an open invitation to any organizations and nations willing to come and help the people in need within our country,” he said late Friday.
The epicenter of the earthquake was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, home to about 1.5 million people. Videos shared online showed buildings crumbled and roads buckled as people ran into the streets.
The quake also caused a partial collapse of a mosque in Taungoo, killing three people.
In neighboring Thailand, the earthquake caused significant damage, especially in Bangkok. An under-construction high-rise building near Chatuchak Park collapsed, killing at least eight people and trapping over 100 others.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declared an emergency zone in the capital and mobilized rescue teams to search for survivors.
The earthquake has struck Myanmar at a time of extreme crisis. Since the 2021 military coup, the country has been embroiled in a brutal civil war, with armed rebel groups controlling large parts of the country. The ongoing conflict has weakened Myanmar’s healthcare system and disaster response capabilities.
Humanitarian groups, including Amnesty International, have urged the junta to allow unrestricted access for aid organizations. The United Nations special rapporteur for Myanmar, Tom Andrew, warned, “This earthquake is a disaster on top of a disaster.”
He noted that over 20 million people in Myanmar already need humanitarian assistance, with 3.5 million internally displaced due to the war.
