Major quakes rock Thailand & Myanmar, several feared dead

A powerful earthquake rattled Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand on Friday, trapping dozens of workers in a collapsed under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok where the Thai prime minister declared a state of emergency.The 7.7-magnitude tremor hit northwest of the city of Sagaing on Friday afternoon at a shallow depth, the United States Geological Survey said. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock hit the same area minutes later.In the Thai capital Bangkok, a 30-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping 43 workers, police and medics said. The massive building intended for government offices was reduced to a tangle of rubble and twisted metal in seconds, footage shared on social media showed.Roads nearby were buckled and broken by the tremors and the route to one of the city's biggest hospitals was jammed with traffic. The hospital was a "mass casualty area" after the quake, officials said. Strong tremors were felt in the greater Bangkok area, which is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

Additional footage showing the collapse of an under construction skyscraper in Bangkok, during today’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake on the border between Thailand and Myanmar. pic.twitter.com/NX3o5XbJtA

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 28, 2025

Two strong earthquakes rocked Myanmar on Friday with its impact being felt in northeastern states including Manipur and Meghalaya. The first earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck around 11:50am while the second earthquake of 7 magnitude occurred around 12:02pm, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Manipur centre said. However, there was no report of any damage in Manipur which shares over 390km long international border with Myanmar.In Myanmar, three people died after a mosque partially collapsed. The iconic Ava Bridge in Myanmar's Mandalay also crumbled into the Irrawaddy River due to the massive quake, whose epicentre was near Sagaing.

Massive destruction in Myanmar after a 7.7M earthquake!

The iconic 'Ava Bridge' collapses, houses crumble, and roads crack — Tremors rocked buildings across the region https://t.co/644gPVXaUi pic.twitter.com/nvLDr7Tyog

— RT (@RT_com) March 28, 2025

Bangkok went into lockdown as the government closed metro services, airport and subways. The Stock Exchange of Thailand also suspended all trading activities.The earthquake has rocked many parts of Thailand, including its capital Bangkok, the venue for next week's summit of BIMSTEC regional grouping that is scheduled to be attended by Modi among other leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed concern over the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand, and said India stands ready to offer all possible assistance to the two countries."India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, asked our authorities to be on standby. Also asked the MEA to remain in touch with the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand," he said. The Indian Embassy is actively monitoring the situation in coordination with Thai authorities. As of now, no untoward incidents involving Indian citizens have been reported. In a social media post, the Indian Embassy advised Indian nationals in Thailand to contact the emergency number +66 618819218 in case of any emergency. It also confirmed that all members of the Indian Embassy in Bangkok and the Consulate in Chiang Mai are safe. 
Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the centre of the country, according to the USGS.
A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination. Tremors were also felt in China's southwest Yun nan province, according to Beijing's quake agency, which said the jolt measured 7.9 in magnitude.As per the US Geological Survey, about 800,000 people felt 'violent' shaking during the earthquake, THOUSANDS presumed dead, but there is no official confirmation about any causality.