The 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Mar. 28 has left devastation in its wake.
At least three people were k!lled after a mosque in Mandalay partially collapsed due to the earthquake, eyewitnesses told Reuters.
The quake, whose tremors were felt in Southern China and Thailand, toppled many buildings in Myanmar.
Reuters reported that the earthquake’s epicentre was about 17.2 km from the city of Mandalay in central Myanmar, and it had a depth of 10 km.
One witness in Mandalay told Reuters:
“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.”
Iconic Old Sagaing Bridge destroyed
Videos on social media show the aftermath of the quake, with people in the surrounding area exclaiming that the buildings had collapsed and asking if there were people under the debris.
🚨 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Mandalay, Myanmar
Multiple buildings destroyed in devastating quake.#Myanmar #Earthquake #แผ่นดินไหว pic.twitter.com/fgQTBlUqjw
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) March 28, 2025
Several roads linking Mandalay and Yangon were damaged by the quake too.
The Irrawaddy, a news website founded by Burmese exiles, documented the extent of the destruction, including the collapse of the Ava Bridge, also known as the Old Sagaing Bridge.
According to The Guardian, officials said one of the city’s biggest hospitals was jammed with traffic, and that it was a “mass casualty area” after the quake.
According to AFP, the injured were being treated in the streets outside a 1,000 bed hospital.
Myanmar’s military government declared a state of emergency in six affected regions and made a rare appeal for international humanitarian assistance. Hundreds of casualties were rushed to hospitals, especially in the capital Naypyidaw, where damage was so extensive that many patients had to be treated outside due to structural concerns.
A doctor told AFP that “about 20 people” were confirmed dead at a hospital in Naypyidaw.
Thailand: Skyscraper collapse, Bangkok declared disaster zone
In neighboring Thailand, at least three people were confirmed dead after a 30-story skyscraper under construction in northern Bangkok collapsed, trapping workers under the rubble. The Thai capital was declared a disaster zone, and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has placed emergency response teams on high alert.
Tremors rattled high-rise buildings across Bangkok, swaying towers, cracking walls, and causing water to slosh out of rooftop swimming pools. Videos circulating online showed a crane-topped building crumbling into a cloud of dust while onlookers screamed in panic.
Public transport systems, including the metro, temporarily shut down, and crowds poured into the streets. One office worker described doors and windows creaking as their building swayed for over two minutes. Despite the chaos, Bangkok’s airports remained operational, according to civil aviation authorities.
Oh god 😯😯 terrible situation in Bangkok and Myanmar.
Hope everyone would be safe 🙏🏻 #Earthquake pic.twitter.com/A23SAlmKgP— Elsa_Tri_t 🌥️💯 (@Elsa34666162) March 28, 2025
International support and outlook
India has offered “all possible assistance” to Myanmar and Thailand, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing prayers for everyone affected.
EU, France also said they are ‘ready’ to provide support.
Myanmar lies along the Sagaing Fault, one of the country’s most active seismic zones. According to USGS records, Myanmar has experienced several powerful earthquakes above magnitude 7.0 in the 20th century.
Authorities across the region continue rescue operations and damage assessments as aftershocks ripple through Southeast Asia.
Source: AP, AFP, Reuters, mothership.sg