Myanmar earthquake LIVE updates: Death toll nears 150, Bangkok building collapse rescue on

Live updates on the Myanmar earthquake have concluded as rescue operations and recovery efforts continue across the affected regions. For more updates, stay tuned.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar, causing widespread destruction, fatalities, and aftershocks, affecting neighboring Thailand.

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• Magnitude and Impact: A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, with the epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar. It was followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock.
• Affected Areas: The quake caused destruction in Myanmar and Thailand, including buildings, a bridge, and a dam. Tremors were also felt in China's Yunnan province.
• Casualties: In Bangkok, 8 people were confirmed dead, including 7 at a collapsed high-rise construction site. Around 90 people are missing, and rescue efforts are ongoing, with drones and rescue dogs deployed. In Myanmar, at least 144 people were confirmed dead, and 732 were injured, though the toll is expected to rise due to ongoing rescue efforts.
• State of Emergency: Thailand declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, which has been designated a disaster area. Myanmar also declared a state of emergency across six regions and called for international help.
• Damage in Thailand: Witnesses reported evacuations from swaying buildings, with plaster falling. Roads in Myanmar showed significant damage, including large cracks. Water was seen sloshing over the side of a high-rise building in Bangkok.
• Rescue Operations: Thai authorities set up an earthquake response command center. Police are evacuating unsafe buildings and managing traffic in Bangkok. In Myanmar, rescue efforts are complicated by civil war and restricted information.
• Humanitarian and International Response: Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urged Myanmar’s military junta to allow humanitarian aid. The Red Cross expressed concerns over the safety of large-scale dams in the region. WHO is mobilizing medical supplies and trauma injury kits. Myanmar’s National Unity Government is offering humanitarian assistance, with anti-junta militias providing aid despite communication challenges.
• Global Support Offers: The EU and France have offered assistance. Pope Francis expressed his condolences and prayers for the victims. UK foreign secretary David Lammy advised nationals in both countries to follow government advice.

The United Nations is mobilising in Southeast Asia to help those in need, UN secretary-general António Guterres said on Friday after a powerful earthquake centered in Myanmar rocked the region.

“The government of Myanmar has asked for international support and our team in Myanmar is already in contact in order to fully mobilise our resources in the region to support the people of Myanmar,” Guterres said.

“But of course there are other countries impacted. The epicenter is in Myanmar, and Myanmar is the weakest country in this present situation,” he added.

Pope Francis has offered his prayers for the victims of the powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand, the Vatican press office said.

In a telegram published by the Vatican, Francis said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread devastation” caused by the earthquake.

At least 144 people have died, and more than 700 others were injured after a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, authorities confirmed. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, in a televised address on state broadcaster MRTV, announced that international assistance had been requested for relief efforts. "I have allowed some offers for support from the AHA Center and India," he stated.
 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is readying medical supplies for the “huge” Myanmar earthquake, AFP reports. The WHO said it had triggered its emergency management system in response to Friday’s “huge” earthquake in Myanmar and was mobilising its logistics hub in Dubai to prepare trauma injury supplies.

The WHO is coordinating its earthquake response from its Geneva headquarters “because we see this as a huge event” with “clearly a very, very big threat to life and health”, spokesperson Margaret Harris told a media briefing.

“We’ve activated our logistics hub to look particularly for trauma supplies and things like external fixators because we expect that there will be many, many injuries that need to be dealt with,” Harris said. She added that the WHO would focus on sending essential medicines.

Eight people are confirmed to have been killed in Bangkok, the city’s governor Chadchart Sittipunt has said.

This includes seven people killed at the construction site of the collapsed high rise.

Director of National Centre for Seismology (NCS) Dr OP Mishra on Friday stated that the six earthquakes that jolted Myanmar were on the longest fault line, Sagaing Fault, which stretches to 1200 km. Further, he stated that this was not the first occurrence of an earthquake above 7 on the Richter scale.

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Three people have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a building in Bangkok, according to Thailand's National Institute for Emergency Medicine. In a Facebook update, the institute reported that 68 others have been injured and hospitalized, with five in critical condition. The deputy prime minister of Thailand confirmed that 81 construction workers remain trapped under the rubble.

• A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar around noon local time (06:00 GMT).

• Since the initial quake, four smaller aftershocks ranging between 4.5 and 6.6 in magnitude have been recorded.

• Myanmar is ruled by a military regime, making it challenging to gather information about the full extent of the damage.

• The death toll and overall damage are still unknown, but reports suggest significant destruction.

• A rescue worker in Mandalay stated that the damage is "enormous" and casualties are "at least in the hundreds."

• The Red Cross has confirmed "significant damage" in several areas.

• A state of emergency has been declared in six regions of Myanmar.

• Images and videos show severe damage to buildings and roads, including a large bridge collapsing.

• The exact extent of the damage and the areas affected remains unclear.

• In neighboring Thailand, three construction workers were killed and dozens injured after a high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok.

• In Bangkok, residents reported feeling buildings swaying during the quake.

At least 20 people have died at a major hospital in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, after a powerful earthquake struck the country, causing widespread destruction. A doctor at the 1,000-bed general hospital, who spoke to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deaths, stating that many others were injured upon arrival.

The number of workers missing at the collapsed high-rise construction site in Bangkok has risen to 81, according to Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, up from an earlier estimate of 70. The Thai government is coordinating an emergency response at the site, mobilizing search and rescue teams. Disaster centres have been instructed to prepare relief equipment and machinery. Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin confirmed that 409 people were working on the site when it collapsed. Images from the scene show rescue workers already on-site.

Amnesty International has urged Myanmar’s military junta to grant “unimpeded access to all humanitarian organisations” following the ongoing conflict. The junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has faced widespread opposition and accusations of blocking aid to regions where its opponents are active.

The Indian Embassy in Thailand issued a statement on Friday, assuring that it is closely monitoring the situation after powerful earthquake tremors were recorded in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand. In case of any emergency, Indian nationals in Thailand are advised to contact the emergency number +66 618819218. This number is available 24/7 for assistance.

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France also said on Friday it stood ready to provide support after a powerful earthquake hit Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand, adding that its diplomatic premises in the Thai capital had been evacuated, reports AFP.

“We are ready to provide support as soon as the need has been expressed and we have evacuated our premises in Bangkok to guard against any form of risk,” said foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who was in Shanghai on Friday, referring to the French embassy, schools, and other buildings.

The collapse of an under-construction high-rise building in Bangkok, caught on viral video, has become the defining symbol of the devastation caused by the 7.7-magnitude Myanmar earthquake.

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Thai rescuers are working tirelessly to free 81 people still trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building in Bangkok, following a powerful earthquake. Thai Deputy Prime Minister confirmed the ongoing rescue operation on Friday, while Defence Minister Phumtham Wechachai reported that three people have been confirmed dead.

“Public infrastructure has been damaged including roads, bridges and public buildings. We currently have concerns for large scale dams that people are watching to see the conditions of them”, Marie Manrique, programme coordinator for the International Federation of the Red Cross said to reporters in Geneva, via video link from Yangon.

“We anticipate the impact to be quite large”, she added.

Thailand’s Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed that 90 people are missing and three have died after a high-rise building under construction collapsed during the powerful earthquake in Bangkok.

While he provided no further details on the rescue efforts, first responders told the Associated Press (AP) that seven people have been rescued so far from the wreckage.

Myanmar’s military regime has warned residents to brace for aftershocks within the next six hours following the powerful earthquake near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. A state of emergency has been declared in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, northeast Shan State, Bago, and Naypyidaw. Witnesses report collapsed buildings, including hotels, bridges, schools, and apartments in Mandalay, Sagaing, and southern Shan State. The Yangon-Mandalay highway has also sustained damage, leaving some vehicles stranded.

The epicentre of the earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. With electricity and network lines down, the Red Cross says assessing the full extent of the damage remains difficult. However, video footage shows the remains of a collapsed bridge submerged in a river in Mandalay.

Three people have been confirmed dead in Bangkok due to damage caused by the powerful earthquake in neighboring Myanmar, Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Friday.

He warned of possible aftershocks but urged residents to remain calm, stating that the situation was largely under control, according to Reuters. Authorities received 169 reports of building damage in the capital. Urban rail systems were temporarily closed but are expected to resume service on Saturday.

The Embassy of India, Bangkok, issues an emergency number, +66 618819218, for Indian nationals in Thailand, which they can use in case of any emergency. "After powerful earthquake tremors recorded in Bangkok and in other parts of Thailand, the Embassy is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Thai authorities. So far, no untoward incident involving any Indian citizen has been reported...All members of the Indian Embassy in Bangkok and Consulate in Chiang Mai are safe."

At least three people were killed in Taungoo when a mosque partially collapsed, witnesses told Reuters.

Meanwhile, local media reported that two people died and 20 others were injured after a hotel collapsed in Aung Ban.

The Red Cross reports that its teams are working to address significant damage in Myanmar but are facing challenges due to widespread power outages in the affected areas.

Electricity and network lines are down in Mandalay and Sagaing, making relief efforts difficult. Despite these obstacles, the humanitarian organisation says it is continuing to assess humanitarian needs and gather information on the crisis.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered the immediate establishment of an earthquake response command centre and directed all districts and hospitals to assess damages.

Police officers have been deployed to evacuate people from unsafe buildings and manage traffic. Authorities have also advised the public to avoid high-rise buildings in the densely populated capital.

Back-to-back massive earthquakes hit Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand on Friday, turning a major hospital in the Myanmar capital Naypyidaw into a "mass casualty area" and trapping dozens of workers in an under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok.

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The full extent of the damage from the Myanmar earthquake remains unclear, but social media footage shows multiple buildings collapsed or damaged in central regions. Videos from Mandalay airport depict people rushing to safety through dust-filled hallways, with ceiling panels scattered on the floor, while others crouch outside in panic. Local outlet Khit Thit Media reported at least 20 deaths near a damaged mosque in Mandalay, though this number remains unverified. The Ava Bridge (Old Sagaing Bridge), a British colonial-era structure crossing the Irrawaddy River, has also collapsed.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military coup in February 2021, with ongoing conflict and brutal crackdowns on opposition. The situation on the ground is difficult to verify due to communication disruptions and risks for journalists operating in the country.

At least eight people have been killed, and others are feared trapped after a construction building collapsed in Pyi Gyi Tagon township, Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city.

Thai emergency responders have confirmed that at least two people have died, while an unknown number remain trapped under the rubble of a collapsed high-rise building in Bangkok, following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

Rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters that seven people have been pulled out alive from the wreckage of the under-construction skyscraper, according to the Associated Press (AP).

The multistory structure collapsed after the powerful quake struck midday on Friday, causing the crane on top to topple and sending a massive plume of dust into the air.

The Earthquake

• A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has struck central Myanmar, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

• The epicenter was located 16km (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing, at a depth of 10km.

• Strong tremors were felt hundreds of miles away, including in Thailand and southwest China.

The Damage

• Buildings have been damaged in Bangkok, and roads have buckled in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw.

• Structures in Bangkok are not typically designed to withstand earthquakes, raising concerns about the extent of the damage.

Government Response

• The Thai government has convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation.

43 construction workers missing after a 30-storey unfinished building collapsed in Bangkok due to the Myanmar earthquake, Thai authorities report. Seven escaped, while the rest remain trapped, according to the National Institute for Emergency Medicine.