By Deutsche Welle (World News) | Created at 2025-03-28 07:25:57 | Updated at 2025-03-31 06:30:33
2 days ago
A strong and lengthy tremor was felt by residents in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Friday, with buildings swaying and shops and offices evacuated.
Germany's GFZ for geosciences said the epicenter of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake was in neighboring Myanmar, citing preliminary reports. It was recorded at a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) meanwhile said the earthquake had a 7.7 magnitude.
What else do we know about the earthquake?
There were no immediate reports on casualties or damage. But witnesses said people ran out into the streets of Bangkok after feeling the powerful tremors. Water splashed out of swimming pools, witnesses added.
"I heard it and I was sleeping in the house, I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building," Duangjai, a resident of popular tourist city Chiang Mai, told the French AFP news agency after tremors were felt across northern and central Thailand.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she interrupted an official visit to the southern island of Phuket to hold an "urgent meeting."
Where else were the tremors felt?
The earthquake's epicenter was located 16 kilometers northwest of the city of Sagaing in Myanmar at around 12:50 p.m. local time (0620 GMT/UTC), the USGS said.
An AFP journalist in the city of Naypyidaw south of Sagaing said roads were buckled by the force of the earthquake, with chunks of ceilings fallen from buildings.
"We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet," an officer from the Myanmar Fire Services Department told the Reuters news agency. Yangon lies some 620 kilometers south of Sagaing.
Apart from Thailand, the tremors were also felt in China's southwest Yunnan province. Beijing's quake agency measured the jolt at 7.9 in magnitude.
This is a developing news story. Please refresh for updates.
Edited by: Sean Sinico
