Monday 31 / March / 2025
Bangkok: A major earthquake was felt by residents in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Friday, with a skyscraper under construction collapsing and trapping at least 43 workers.
Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the epicenter of the earthquake was in neighboring Myanmar, citing preliminary reports. It was recorded at a shallow 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had a 7.7 magnitude, with an aftershock of a 6.4 magnitude following closely behind. Deaths were reported in both Thailand and Myanmar, but tolls remained unclear.
The Thai Prime Minister reportedly declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, while Myanmar declared an emergency in the capital and its second-largest city.
What else do we know about the earthquake?
Witnesses said people ran out into the streets of Bangkok after feeling the powerful tremors. Water splashed out of swimming pools, witnesses added.
A highrise building under construction collapsed in Bangkok due to the earthquake, police told the Associated Press news agency. The French AFP news agency cited medics as saying 43 workers were trapped.
Thai emergency responders were quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying at least two bodies were found dead while seven others were found alive. An unknown number of others were under the rubble.
The 30-storey skyscraper was a government offices work in progress in the north of the Thai capital, AFP added.
"When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying help me," Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district, told AFP. "We estimate that hundreds of people are injured but we are still determining the number of casualties," he said.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that the tremor caused damage to many high-rise buildings in the Thai capital, with inspections underway to find out the number of buildings affected. The governor urged caution.
Some metro and light rail lines were suspended as a result of the quake.
