The Newest: Main earthquakes strike Myanmar and Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake and an aftershock measuring 6.4 rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge and a dam.

Not less than 144 folks had been killed in Myanmar, the pinnacle of the army authorities stated within the televised speech.

“The dying toll and accidents are anticipated to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing stated. He stated over 700 folks had been injured.

The quake introduced down a high-rise constructing beneath building in Bangkok and damaging historic buildings in Myanmar. Injury was additionally reported in China.

The quake struck within the early afternoon, sending folks streaming out of buildings and in search of shelter wherever they may discover it from the blazing solar.

Myanmar’s military-run authorities has declared a state of emergency in six areas.

Influence ‘more likely to be extreme’

“The affect of the earthquake in Myanmar is more likely to be extreme, with probably hundreds of displaced folks in want of pressing shelter, meals and medical help,” stated Mohammed Riyas, regional director of the Worldwide Rescue Committee.

“We concern it might be weeks earlier than we perceive the complete extent of destruction attributable to this earthquake, as communication community traces are down and transport is disrupted,” he stated. “The harm to infrastructure and houses, lack of life, and accidents sustained by communities affected shouldn’t be underestimated.”

Riyas stated the IRC and its companions are working to know how communities have been affected with the goal of launching an emergency response. He stated in a press release that “search and rescue operations are underway.”

Pope provide prayers for victims

Pope Francis, who’s convalescing after a five-week hospitalization for life-threatening double pneumonia, provided prayers to the victims of the earthquake.

“The pope has been knowledgeable of the catastrophe in Myanmar and is praying for the dramatic scenario and for the various victims, additionally in Thailand,’’ the Vatican stated in a press release.

Monastery hit, dam bursts

The earthquake reportedly introduced down a number of buildings in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest metropolis, together with the Ma Soe Yane monastery.

A video posted on-line confirmed robed monks on the street capturing video of the multistory monastery earlier than it immediately fell into the bottom. It was not instantly clear whether or not anybody was harmed.

Christian Support stated its companions and colleagues on the bottom reported {that a} dam burst within the metropolis, inflicting water ranges to rise within the lowland areas within the space.

The Pink Cross stated downed energy traces added to challenges for his or her groups making an attempt to succeed in a number of hard-hit areas.

Bridge collapse, freeway broken

In Mandalay, which was near the epicenter, the earthquake broken a part of the previous royal palace and buildings, in accordance with movies and photographs launched on Fb social media.

Within the Sagaing area, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and a few sections of the freeway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest metropolis, Yangon, had been broken.

Within the capital Naypyitaw, the quake broken non secular shrines, sending components toppling to the bottom.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a army authorities spokesperson, advised state tv MRTV that blood was in excessive demand within the hospitals in earthquakes-hit areas, particularly Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw.

He urged blood donors to contact the hospitals as quickly as potential.

‘Important harm’

The Pink Cross stated downed energy traces are including to challenges for his or her groups making an attempt to succeed in Mandalay and Sagaing areas and southern Shan state.

“Preliminary reviews from the bottom recommend the earthquake has brought on important harm,” the Pink Cross stated. “Data on humanitarian wants continues to be being gathered.”

State of emergency

A state of emergency has been declared in six areas and states in Myanmar by the military-run authorities.

State-run MRTV tv stated the federal government’s proclamation consists of the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, after the earthquake and a powerful aftershock, whose epicenter was close to the nation’s second largest metropolis.

Myanmar is within the midst of a civil warfare and lots of areas will not be simply accessible and it was not instantly clear what reduction efforts the army would be capable of present.

Many lacking in Bangkok constructing collapse

Thai emergency responders stated not less than two folks have been discovered useless and an unknown variety of others are nonetheless beneath the rubble of a collapsed constructing in Bangkok.

Rescue employee Songwut Wangpon, talking on the scene of a tall pile of rubble that was as soon as a high-rise constructing beneath building, advised reporters one other seven folks had been discovered alive.

Thailand’s Protection Minister Phumtham Wechayachai later stated three folks had been confirmed useless with 90 others lacking following the constructing collapse.

The collapse of the multi-story construction despatched a crane on high of it toppling to the bottom and created a large plume of mud.

Individuals rush for security in teeming Bangkok

Individuals within the Silom enterprise district of Bangkok evacuated workplace buildings and condominium towers alongside Rama IV Highway and streamed into close by Lumphini Park. The sidewalks crammed with work crews with neon inexperienced shirts, together with different employees in arduous hats and blue and inexperienced uniform shirts.

Alongside the walkways of the park and the sidewalks of Silom and close by Sathon, folks in enterprise apparel and firm uniforms huddled or stood in packs speaking and checking their telephones. Some transferring via the crowds had been crying or visibly distraught.

Paul Vincent, a vacationer visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck.

“The following factor, everyone got here on the road, so there was quite a lot of screaming and panicking, which clearly made it lots worse,” he stated.

As he got here onto the road himself, he stated he noticed a high-rise constructing swaying and water was falling from a rooftop pool.

“Once I noticed the constructing, oh my God, that’s when … it hit me,” he stated. “There was folks crying within the streets and, you recognize, the panic was horrendous actually.”

Injury reported in close by China

The earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and brought on accidents and harm to homes within the metropolis of Ruili on the border with northern Myanmar, in accordance with Chinese language media reviews.

Movies that one outlet stated it had obtained from an individual in Ruili confirmed constructing particles littering a avenue and an individual being wheeled on a stretcher towards an ambulance.

The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese language metropolis about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so sturdy that folks couldn’t stand, one resident advised The Paper, an internet media outlet.

Thai prime minister guarantees all obligatory assist

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated in a information convention that she has ordered related businesses to organize and work to alleviate the scenario and warned of potential aftershocks. She didn’t point out any casualties.

“I’d prefer to ask everybody to remain calm and don’t panic, however please watch out.”

Bangkok Metropolis Corridor has declared Bangkok an space of catastrophe