A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar caused extensive damage, with numerous buildings collapsed in Myanmar as well as neighboring Thailand.
According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck around 12:50 p.m. on the 28th (local time) inland in central Myanmar. The epicenter was located approximately 33 km southwest of the second city of Mandalay and about 248 km north-northwest of the capital, Naypyidaw, with a recorded depth of 10 km.
Twelve minutes after the earthquake, a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.4 occurred in the same area. Many buildings and bridges collapsed across Myanmar, burying numerous people or injuring them.
According to Reuters and China Central Television (CCTV), Min Aung Hlaing, the top military leader of Myanmar's junta, said in a TV address that there were 144 fatalities and 732 injuries.
Photos and videos posted on social media show that a 90-year-old bridge connecting Mandalay and Sagaing collapsed, and a hotel estimated to be three to four stories tall in central Aungban was also seen to have collapsed.
Additionally, several hotels, buildings, and the royal palace in Mandalay city were severely damaged, and debris was confirmed to have covered streets throughout the area. It was also reported that parts of the highway connecting Mandalay and Naypyidaw were cut off.
Agence France-Presse reported that the emergency room of a large hospital in Naypyidaw with 1,000 beds was filled with injured individuals, and patients were being treated lying outside the emergency room.
Vibrations were felt in Bangkok, the Thai capital, about 1,000 km away from the epicenter, causing damage. In particular, a 30-story high-rise building under construction near the Chatuchak market, a tourist attraction, collapsed, burying 117 workers and resulting in five fatalities, according to Thai rescue authorities.
The Myanmar military government declared a state of emergency in six regions severely affected by the disaster and requested humanitarian aid from the international community. The Thai government also held an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, declaring a state of emergency in Bangkok, and the Stock Exchange of Thailand halted all transactions.
In addition, train services have been temporarily suspended to prepare for further aftershocks, and access to areas densely populated with high-rise buildings is also restricted.
Meanwhile, the South Korean embassy in Myanmar is monitoring the situation locally through consular staff to ensure the safety of expatriates and tourists, while the Korean Association of Myanmar and the Yangon branch are also checking for any damages to expatriates.