Thailand, 28 March 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar, resulting in a collapse of a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok on Friday. Police said possible casualties are not yet known.
A dramatic video circulated on social media showed the multi-story building in Bangkok with a crane on top collapsing into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran.
News agency AFP reported that the 30-storey skyscraper under construction for government offices collapsed in Bangkok, trapping 43 workers.
Latest updates on Myanmar, Thailand earthquake:
- Thai authorities have declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday after the city was hit by a major earthquake centred in Myanmar.
- The building in the north of the Thai capital was reduced to a tangle of rubble and twisted metal in seconds after the 7.7-magnitude quake, which had its epicentre in Myanmar.
- In the Sagaing region just southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, were also damaged.
- Police told The Associated Press they were responding to the scene near Bangkok’s popular Chatuchak Market, and had no immediate information on how many workers were on the site at the time of the collapse.
- The Stock Exchange of Thailand suspended all trading activities for the afternoon session on Friday after the strong earthquake.
- In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground and some homes.
- Mild tremors were also felt in Kolkata and Imphal. The epicentre was in central Myanmar, about 50 km east of the city of Monywa. Residents of Kolkata and adjoining areas reported feeling mild tremors and noticing wall hangings sway slightly during the earthquake.
- In Manipur, tremors caused panic among residents of Thangal Bazar in Imphal, where many old multi-storey buildings, are located. However, no damage has been reported so far, police said.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the devastating earthquake, and said India stands ready to offer all possible assistance to the two countries. “Concerned by the situation in the wake of the Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone,” Modi said on ‘X’. “India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, asked our authorities to be on standby. Also asked the MEA to remain in touch with the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand,” he said.
- An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 was felt in various parts of Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Chattogram, on Friday. However, no casualties were reported so far.
Summary: A powerful earthquake shakes Myanmar and Thailand, prompting a state of emergency in Bangkok. Tremors were also felt in Kolkata and Imphal. Here are the latest 10 updates.