State of emergency declared in Bangkok after quake: Thai PM

BANGKOK: Thai authorities have declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday, after the city was hit by a major earthquake with its epicentre in Myanmar.

Buildings across Bangkok sustained damage due to the 7.7-magnitude quake, including a 30-storey under-construction skyscraper designated for government offices, which collapsed in the city's north. Police and medics reported that the collapse trapped 43 workers as the city was rocked by the tremors. The building was reduced to rubble and twisted metal within seconds, the AFP reported.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Friday she had interrupted an official visit to the southern island of Phuket to hold an "urgent meeting" after the quake, according to a post on X.

Tremors from the quake were also felt in China's southwest Yunnan province, where the seismic jolt was measured at a magnitude of 7.9, according to Beijing's earthquake agency.

Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar. Between 1930 and 1956, six significant quakes with magnitudes of 7.0 or higher occurred near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the centre of the country, according to the US Geological Survey.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the ancient capital of Bagan in central Myanmar in 2016, killing three people and causing spires and temple walls in the tourist destination to crumble.

Experts suggest that rapid urban development, coupled with poor infrastructure and inadequate urban planning in Myanmar, has left densely populated areas increasingly vulnerable to earthquakes and other natural disasters. The Southeast Asian nation also faces challenges with its strained healthcare system, particularly in rural areas.

By RSS/AFP