A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, March 28, leading to at least three deaths in Bangkok, Thailand.
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The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that an earthquake struck roughly 10 miles northwest of Sagaing, followed by a second 6.4-magnitude quake just 12 minutes later, occurring approximately 11 miles south of the city. Both earthquakes had a depth of about 6.2 miles, according to the agency’s website.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra officially designated Bangkok as “an emergency zone” following the collapse of a building in the capital, according to a statement shared by the Thai government on X.
An unfinished 30-story building near Chatuchak Park collapsed, with reports indicating that around 50 people were inside at the time. According to Thai authorities, 43 construction workers remain unaccounted for, as reported by the BBC.
Video footage and photos from the BBC show cracked roads and damaged buildings in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw. In Bangkok, water spilled onto the streets from a rooftop pool on a high-rise building.
An Eyewitness Recounts the Devastating 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake
Scottish tourist Fraser Morton was browsing a mall when the earthquake struck.
 “All of a sudden the whole building began to move,” Morton recalled, per the Associated Press.
“Immediately, there was screaming and a lot of panic,” the tourist continued. “I just started walking calmly at first, but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators, lots of banging and crashing inside the mall.”
“I got outside and then looked up at the building and the whole building was moving, dust and debris, it was pretty intense,” Morton added. “Lots of chaos.”
Myanmar is currently in the midst of a civil war, and the BBC reported challenges in obtaining information from the country. According to local media, the military junta, which has been in power since 2021, has declared a state of emergency in several regions, including Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Eastern Shan State, and Naypyidaw.
According to a post on X by the Thai government, the national police chief has directed a “nationwide assistance” effort. The post highlighted that officers are actively evacuating individuals from unsafe buildings, providing aid to victims, and managing traffic. Additionally, police hospitals are on standby to handle emergencies.