More than 140 dead after 7.7-magnitude earthquake hits Myanmar, with tremors felt across neighboring Thailand
At least 144 people have been killed and more than 730 were injured in the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar, according to the head of the country’s military government.
A strike-slip fault — when two tectonic plates move side by side — triggered the powerful earthquake in Myanmar that was felt across the region, according to CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam.
“The India and Eurasia plate actually moved side by side with each other, and that caused this intense shaking right at the surface,” he said.
Van Dam warned that aftershocks are anticipated, and that the search and recovery effort “will continue for days, if not weeks.
Myanmar military junta makes rare appeal for international assistance after deadly quake
The leader of Myanmar’s ruling military junta has made a rare call for help from the international community after an earthquake killed at least 144 people — a figure he warned will rise.
“I have personally visited some affected sites to assess the situation. I would like to call upon everyone to join hands and support the ongoing rescue missions,” Min Aung Hlaing said in a televised speech on Friday.
At least 96 people died in Naypyidaw, central Myanmar, and dozens more died in other territories, with at least 732 injured, he said during the address. “Casualties are expected to rise,” he added.
Why this matters: The appeal indicates that the impacts of the quake are stark. Min Aung Hlaing is the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant and his military junta rarely cooperates with the international community.
Min Aung Hlaing is the leader of Myanmar’s powerful military, known as the Tatmadaw, which seized power in 2021. Since then, he has served as the military ruler of the country. The ICC sought his arrest last year for alleged crimes committed against the persecuted Rohingya minority group, estimating that more than one million Rohingya had been forcibly displaced from Myanmar.
The junta has severely restricted internet access and has launched a crackdown against journalists in the country.
What we know about the worst quake to hit Myanmar since 1946
Rescuers are racing through rubble and assessing the damage across hundreds of miles of Southeast Asia after a powerful quake struck the war-ravaged country of Myanmar on Friday, sending ripples as far south as Bangkok and as far east as China.
Many people are feared to have died. In the Thai capital, Bangkok, a high-rise building collapsed. In Myanmar, which is in the throes of a civil war and where internet access is heavily restricted, it may take some time to appreciate the scale of the tragedy.
Here’s what we know so far:
- ‘Many civilians were killed’: Myanmar’s military junta confirmed that the nation is facing multiple fatalities and injuries following Friday’s earthquake, but the exact death toll was not immediately clear. “Many civilians were killed and injured,” Myanmar state media said. The junta called on blood donors to contact hospitals. The UN said initial reports from the country indicate “significant damage.”
- Bangkok building collapses: The situation is “starting to ease” in Thailand, the country’s prime minister said, after tremors caused a building to come down in the capital, Bangkok. As many as 81 people were trapped under rubble; the high-rise was being constructed by a Chinese state-owned company. People in the city were told to avoid tall buildings, but have now been given the green light to return home.
- A historic quake: Friday’s earthquake is certainly the largest to hit Myanmar since 1946 and likely the strongest in modern times. It ruptured along the Sagaing Fault. The last time a quake of such magnitude struck on land was the 2023 Turkey earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people.
- Calls for aid: International groups urged Myanmar’s ruling military junta to allow access to humanitarian aid. “This earthquake could not come at a worse time for Myanmar. More than three million people remain internally displaced from armed conflict that has raged since the 2021 military coup,” Amnesty International said.
