A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar on Friday, the United States Geological Survey reported, causing damage to buildings and tremors felt across Southeast Asia, as far as Bangkok, Thailand. The quake occurred near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, around 12:50 p.m. local time, with a 6.4-magnitude aftershock following 12 minutes later. The earthquake’s shallow depth of about six miles increased the likelihood of violent shaking. In Mandalay, people were treated at the main hospital, and social media images showed a bridge crashing into a river and damaged buildings. Details on the damage and casualties in Myanmar were not immediately available, as the country has been affected by a civil war since a military coup four years ago. In Bangkok, panic ensued with streets filled with people afraid of aftershocks or unable to return to their buildings, leading to significant traffic congestion. Videos verified by The New York Times showed the collapse of a 30-story skyscraper under construction in the Chatuchak district, with construction workers and passersby fleeing the scene. West of Myanmar in Bangladesh, including in its capital Dhaka, the earthquake was felt but no immediate damage was reported. Buildings in Vietnam, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, were also shaken. Saif Hasnat contributed reporting from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Richard C. Paddock from Bangkok.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/03/28/world/myanmar-earthquake