Devastating earthquake strikes Southeast Asia leaving Myanmar and Thailand in ruins

A powerful earthquake jolted Southeast Asia on Friday, causing widespread destruction in Myanmar and Thailand. The tremors, felt as far as China and Laos, led to multiple casualties and severe structural damage, prompting Myanmar’s ruling military to declare a state of emergency in several regions.

The quake, recorded at a magnitude of 7.7 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), struck around midday at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city and an important cultural hub. A significant aftershock followed, exacerbating the destruction.

According to Myanmar Now, parts of the historic Mandalay Palace in Mandalay were severely damaged. At the same time, a bridge in Sagaing Township was completely destroyed in the quake.

Myanmar bore the brunt of the disaster, with multiple buildings collapsing across central regions. According to reports In the town of Taungoo, three people lost their lives when a mosque partially caved in, according to eyewitnesses. Local reports indicated that at least two others were killed and 20 injured after a hotel crumbled in Aung Ban.

“There is devastation everywhere, and it will take some time to get things to normal,” Zo Hlaing, a journalist from Yangon, told The Borderlens. He said, “There was hardly any time to move as the tremor lasted for two minutes, but it was very shaky and caused lots of dizziness.”

Reuters quoted a witness as saying that in the city, “We all ran out of the house as everything started shaking. I witnessed a five-storey building collapse in front of my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road, and no one dares to go back inside buildings.” Images and videos circulating on social media, though unverified, showed streets strewn with debris and damaged structures.

The impact extended beyond Mandalay, with reports of destruction in Nay Pyi Taw, Pyinmana, and Aungban. The quake also caused the collapse of the old Sagaing Bridge and the Dotehtawadi Bridge along the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway, disrupting transport routes. Fires broke out in some neighbourhoods, raising fears of further casualties. “Many people are injured, and some are feared dead,” a resident in Mandalay told Myanmar Now.

Myanmar Now reported that several high-rise buildings in Mandalay have collapsed, according to locals. There are growing fears that residents may be trapped in the damaged structures. The earthquake was also felt in Yangon and Naypyitaw, the administrative capital of the ruling military junta. Footage from social media shows fallen buildings across the city, including at Thabyagygone market.

Bangkok’s Skyscraper Disaster

In neighbouring Thailand, the earthquake triggered a major structural collapse in Bangkok. A high-rise under construction came crashing down, killing at least one person and trapping dozens under the rubble. Emergency crews scrambled to rescue workers from the debris. City authorities declared Bangkok a disaster-stricken zone, focusing on damage assessment and relief operations.

Tragic scenes in Bangkok as earthquake hits Thailand and Myanmar.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar near Mandalay, causing significant damage and casualties. The tremors were felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand, approximately 640 miles away, where a… pic.twitter.com/GrFlyKAcq2

— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) March 28, 2025

According to reports, as the tremors hit, people rushed into the streets in alarm, with guests at luxury hotels fleeing in bathrobes and swimwear as rooftop pools overflowed, sending torrents of water cascading below.

Myanmar’s location along the Sagaing Fault, a major tectonic boundary between the Indian and Eurasian plates, makes it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. Authorities have long warned of the region’s seismic risks, urging the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings and improved public awareness.

The latest disaster underscores the urgency of these measures, as the country grapples with rescue efforts and assesses the full scale of the damage. In the aftermath of the quake, several government-run websites controlled by Myanmar’s junta reportedly went offline.

Rescue operations are underway across the affected regions, with officials and humanitarian groups mobilising aid for those impacted. However, locals, intellectuals, and journalists who have been part of the democracy movement in Myanmar feel that humanitarian relief from the outside may be difficult as the junta may not allow it. “They only care about their power. We have experienced this during Cyclone Nargis,” said Zo Hlaing.