A powerful earthquake shakes Myanmar and Thailand, killing more than 150 people

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar near the city of Mandalay, and tremors were felt in Thailand and China. In Myanmar, where a powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake also struck, more than 150 people have died and more than 730 have been injured, according to the head of the country's military government.

The earthquake caused buildings to collapse hundreds of miles away in Thailand. At least three people have died in the nation's capital, and authorities are racing to free 81 people believed to be trapped under the rubble of a skyscraper under construction in the city, officials said.

Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest nations, is recovering from a civil war triggered by a military coup in 2021.

Its weak infrastructure prevents it from coping with major natural disasters. Large areas of the country are governed by a heterogeneous group of militias, making it extremely difficult to gather reliable intelligence. Furthermore, the army regularly cuts off communications in conflict zones.

Where did the earthquake occur and in which cities was the impact felt?

The quake struck at 12:50 p.m. local time (6:20 a.m. GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), with the epicenter located about 17 kilometers (10 miles) from Mandalay, the second largest city in the Asian country with 1.2 million inhabitants, reported the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which measures seismic activity worldwide.

Humanitarian sources in Myanmar told EFE that several buildings collapsed in Mandalay, while a monastery collapsed in the city of Taungoo, trapping 20 children.

In the town of Sagaing, a bridge was completely submerged, according to the same sources. The effects of the earthquake were also felt strongly in Ragunan, the country's main city, where buildings were evacuated, according to several residents.