A 7.7-magnitude earthquake caused casualties and damage across Myanmar and in parts of Thailand(Photo: by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)
A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake has struck Myanmar, causing damage and casualties across the country and in neighbouring Thailand.
The quake happened in central Myanmar at a depth of 6.2 miles just before 1pm local time (6:20 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey.
As our map shows, the impact was felt across a large part of South East Asia, although Myanmar and Thailand were the worst hit.
At least five people have been confirmed dead so far, including three people working on a skyscraper which collapsed in Bangkok in Thailand. Several more are said to be trapped under the rubble.
However, Bangkok’s governor said damage to other buildings across the city was limited.
Two people also died after a mosque caved in in a town in central Myanmar.
Where is Myanmar located?
Myanmar is in South East Asia. It shares borders with Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Laos and China as well as the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
An earthquake survivor is carried as she waits to receive medical attention at a hospital in Naypyidaw (Picture: AFP or licensors)
Motorists ride past a damaged building in Mandalay, Myanmar (Picture: Reuters)
How close is it to Thailand?
The two countries sit next to each other, with Myanmar located to the west of Thailand. The border they share is approximately 2,400km (1,500 miles) long.
The Thai capital of Bangkok is around 560 miles from Mandalay Myanmar’s second largest city, which is 12 miles from the 10km (6.2 miles) deep epicentre of the quake.
A map showing how far the earthquake was felt in South East Asia (Picture: Metro)
This map from the United States Geological Survey shows the tectonic plate fault (Picture: United States Geological Survey)
How common are earthquakes in the area?
Myanmar is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes as it sits onthe Sagaing fault, a major tectonic boundary between the Indian plate and Burma microplate.
The two tectonic plates are constantly colliding, causing frequent tremors felt across the country and beyond.
How does the size of this earthquake compare to recent activity in the area?
This month’s earthquake is the strongest for several years.
In 2016 a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Bagan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than 100 ancient temples were damaged.
Another 6.8 magnitude earthquake happened in central Myanmar in 2012 causing several casualties and damage to buildings.
How many people have been confirmed dead so far?
The Bangkok skyscraper just as it starts collapsing
People run from the building in panic (Picture: AFP)
The aftermath of the skyscraper collapse (Picture: Lillian SUWANRUMPHA/AFP)
Two people have been confirmed dead after a skyscraper in Bangkok collapsed during the quake. Eighty one people are trapped inside the rubble, say officials.
Three worshippers were also killed in a central Myanmar town when a mosque caved in, eyewitnesses have said.
More deaths are expected.
What damage did the earthquake cause?
One of the most shocking scenes to emerge was the collapse of the skyscraper in Bangkok, which was in the middle of construction.
How is the size of an earthquake measured?
Magnitude is the size of the earthquake, and is expressed as a number.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) explains on its website that the time, location, and magnitude of an earthquake can be determined from the data recorded by a seismometer, which records the vibrations that travel through the Earth.
According to USGS, a magnitude 5.3 is a moderate earthquake while a magnitude 6.3 is a strong earthquake.
‘Because of the logarithmic basis of the scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in measured amplitude as measured on a seismogram,’ it says.
Videos show the building crumble to the ground as several terrified people run away from the scene.
However, Bangkok’s governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at a press conference today that damage elsewhere is limited.
‘At first, we were worried that there would be widespread damage, but we have received reports that it is limited,” he said.
‘The building (skyscraper) where the incident occurred was a building under construction, which is fragile because the systems are not complete. I believe the situation is not as severe as we initially concerned.
‘Bangkok’s building standards are good, he added. ‘I believe that the damage from the incident is limited. Don’t panic.’
Part of the emergency department of a hospital in Naypyidaw, Myanmar (Picture: AFP or licensors)
Damaged pagodas in Naypyitaw, Myanmar (Picture: AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
In Myanmar, the earthquake caused the collapse of several buildings in five cities and towns, state media reported.
Two buildings also collapsed and an expressway was damaged, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported on its website. It did not give details of any casualties.
Less is known about the impact the quake has had on Myanmar in part because information has been tightly controlled in the country since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, with dozens of journalists arrested by the junta and restrictions on operations of independent local and foreign local media.
Internet services in rural areas is limited and media and international organisations often rely on images, footage and accounts shared on social media, posing verification challenges.
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