A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked central Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread panic and the collapse of several buildings in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 km, with a strong aftershock following soon after.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as buildings crumbled, trapping people under debris. A tea shop reportedly collapsed with multiple individuals inside, while a mosque suffered extensive damage. Emergency response teams have begun search and rescue operations, but official casualty figures remain unknown.
The tremors were felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand, nearly 1,000 km away, where buildings swayed for minutes, prompting mass evacuations. Trading at the Stock Exchange of Thailand was temporarily halted as office workers rushed onto the streets in panic.
Authorities across Myanmar and neighboring countries are assessing the full extent of the damage as aftershocks continue. More updates to follow.
