March 28, 2025

8.2-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES BURMA:

An 8.2-magnitude earthquake has struck Myanmar, causing widespread damage across the region including 800 miles (1,300km) away in Bangkok, where an unfinished 30-storey skyscraper collapsed after the tremor.

The earthquake was initially registered as 7.7 magnitude but was later upgraded to 8.2, making it the worst earthquake to hit Myanmar since 1946. State television confirmed the deaths of 144 people, with a further 732 injured.

The earthquake was so powerful that footage shows water tipping out of swimming pools atop high-rise buildings in the Thai capital. Both the Thai Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, and Myanmar’s military junta have declared a state of emergency after the quake.

An air traffic control tower collapsed at Naypyidaw International Airport, killing all staff who were on duty, Burmese media said.

The US Geological Survey estimates that thousands of deaths are likely. It has issued a red alert for deaths and damage, warning: “High casualties and extensive damage are probable, with the disaster likely widespread”.

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The 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, around 10 miles (16km) from Mandalay, on Friday at a depth of 6.2 miles (10km). The quake was followed by a powerful 6.4 magnitude aftershock.

Widespread destruction has been reported across Myanmar. Mandalay’s Ava Bridge collapsed into the Irrawaddy River after the quake, and buildings and temples lie in ruins.

Sam Cook, lecturer in Crisis and Disaster Management at Aston University, said: “My main concern is the scale of impact on the 5.3 million people living in rural areas of this geopolitically isolated country – particularly in the historically significant and densely populated former northern capital.”

Some terrifying moments were captured on video:

Posted at 2:22 pm by Ed Driscoll