Thailand and Burma were hit by a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake, resulting in over 150 fatalities in both countries as buildings crumbled under the force.
In Bangkok, a striking scene unfolded as a 33-story building collapsed while being constructed, causing a flurry of dust and rubble on the streets below. The city officials confirmed 10 deaths, 16 injuries, and 101 individuals unaccounted for across three construction sites, including the high-rise.
Meanwhile, Burma bore the brunt of the disaster with more than 144 reported deaths. Harrowing images and videos from severely affected cities in Burma revealed widespread destruction. The quake originated in central Burma, with tremors felt as far as India and China.
One aftershock was reported to have been 6.4 magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey. People in Bangkok that were evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more.
The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 6.2 miles, with an epicenter in central Burma, according to preliminary reports.
Rescuers work at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, March 28. (AP/Sakchai Lalit)
Water from high-rise rooftop pools in Bangkok sloshed over the side as they shook, and debris fell from many buildings.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the quake, which Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention said was felt in almost all regions of the country.
The location of Friday’s earthquake that rocked Burma and Thailand. (Fox News)
In Mandalay, Burma’s second-largest city and close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media.
In the Sagaing region just southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and the city of Yangon were also damaged.
In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground, and some homes.
Damaged pagodas are seen after an earthquake, on Friday, March 28, in Naypyitaw, Burma. (AP/Aung Shine Oo)
There are reportedly 188 people injured so far in Tibet on the Chinese side of the border, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
