At least 15 people, including children, were killed, and several others were injured as a mosque and Wailuwun collapsed after a strong earthquake of a magnitude of 7.7 struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28. The mosque is situated in the Bago area of the Myanmar region. No Tsunami warning was issued by the weather department. The jolts were reported at time of Alvida Jumma (last Friday of ongoing holy month of Ramadan), people died on the spot are the residents of Taungnoo town as per the news agency Reuters report.
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According to media reports, Myanmar experienced earthquake tremors for the first time today. The initial earthquake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and struck approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Monywa in central Myanmar at a depth of 10 kilometers. Following the first quake, multiple aftershocks occurred one after another, with their intensity ranging between 6.8 and 4.0 on the Richter scale.
Photos and videos shared on social websites showed severe damage to a mosque and the Mahamuni Pagoda, which is said to be one of the famous Buddhist visiting places. The earthquake tremors caused the collapse of the Wailuwun monastery, resulting in more deaths. However, a number of casualties and injuries remain uncounted.
Bridge Collapse
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A 90-year-old bridge also collapsed in the Sagaing region of the South Asian country, damaging the highway connecting Mandalay-Yangon. Debris also affected buildings and religious shrines in Naypyidaw, the capital.
State of Emergency Declared
A state of emergency was declared by the Myanmar government across six regions as the quake killed several people and destroyed several structures across the nation on Friday. The ruling party in Myanmar asked for international humanitarian aid and leaders to assist in relief efforts.
Building Collapsed in Thailand
A strong earthquake in Myanmar shook Thailand, causing under-construction skyscrapers in Bangkok's Chatuchak Market to collapse. According to the local media report, at least 43 workers present at the time of the collapse were trapped under debris.
Thai authorities declared Bangkok an 'emergency zone' after the earthquake of magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale damaged and devasted several structures in the country. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called an emergency meeting to review the situation.