Magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes have struck Myanmar, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with reports of strong tremors felt in Thailand and elsewhere in the region.
The first tremor hit 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing at a depth of 10 kilometres at about 12:50 pm local time (06:20 GMT) on Friday, USGS said.
Meanwhile, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the jolt measured magnitude 7.9, according to the Xinhua news agency, with a social media post by CENC saying “tremors were felt in Yunnan”.
The AFP news agency reported from Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw the,at roads were buckled by the force of the tremors and chunks of ceilings fell from buildings.
In neighbouring Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, startled residents poured out of high-rise buildings. Witnesses there said the tremors were forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools.
There are reports of people being stuck under the rubble of a collapsed building under construction in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok.
Some metro and light rail services were suspended in Bangkok.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday she had interrupted an official visit to the southern island of Phuket to hold an “urgent meeting” after a powerful earthquake, according to a post on X. (Al Jazeera)
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