A powerful earthquake struck the Mandalay region of Myanmar on Friday at around 14:20 local time.
The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.7 and a depth of 10 km, was reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Ten minutes later, an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.4 occurred approximately 30 km north of the initial epicentre.
Both quakes were near the city of Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. Tremors were felt as far as Hanoi, with some saying they lasted for more than 30 seconds.
Approximately 20 people have died after arriving at the major hospital in Myanmar’s capital for treatment, a doctor told AFP, adding that there are hundreds of injured. Many are being treated outside due to damage to buildings, such as the emergency department which has completely collapsed.
The Mandalay Palace, built in 1857 and the last royal palace of the final Burmese monarchy, was partially destroyed. It is a major tourist destination in the region. In the nearby city of Sagaing, a bridge was completely destroyed by the tremor.
According to various aid organisations, the earthquake near the Myanmarese city of Mandalay has caused enormous damage. "We expect the impact to be quite significant," a spokesperson for the Red Cross in Yangon said.
At least 144 people have been confirmed dead following a powerful earthquake near the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, according to an update by the emergency services on Friday afternoon (European time).
Bangkok declared disaster area
Thailand’s capital has been declared a disaster area, Bangkok city hall said on Friday. Offices, hospitals, and shops were evacuated.
A 30-storey building under construction collapsed, a police official told AFP. Rescue operations have begun to locate 43 workers trapped at the site, emergency responders said. Three people have reportedly been killed.
The earthquake, with its epicentre 1,000 kilometres north-west of Bangkok, caused panic in the capital. Videos of an infinity pool becoming a waterfall as the earthquake rocked the capital's skyscrapers are going viral on social media.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra immediately called for an "emergency meeting" shortly after the tremors and declared the city in a state of emergency. However, not much later, Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that this was not correct – but did say that the situation there is serious.
Many of the buildings in Bangkok are not reportedly engineered to withstand the effects of earthquakes, so there is concern over the possible extent of the damage.
The earthquake also caused damage in Ruili, a Chinese city bordering Myanmar, where homes were affected and local media reported injuries.
No Belgian victims, says Prévot
No Belgian citizens have been reported as victims in the earthquake, according to Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés).
Prévot stated on Friday on social media that local consulate services are closely monitoring the situation.
He advised all Belgian citizens in the region to follow the updated travel advice for the affected areas and to register on Travellers Online. "Safety comes first," Prévot emphasised.
"We are in contact with the Belgians on the ground. Belgians who experience problems can always call the emergency number of the Belgian embassy in Bangkok", says the Ministry. It also warns of possible aftershocks.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also stated that there are currently around 25 Belgian nationals in Myanmar, and 4,100 in Thailand.
The only flight to Bangkok from the Belgian capital on Friday went ahead as normal, a Brussels Airlines spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
EU and India support
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that the EU is ready to provide emergency aid to Myanmar and Thailand.
"Heartbreaking scenes in Burma and Thailand after the devastating earthquake. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. The European Copernicus satellites are already assisting the relief efforts. We are ready to provide additional support," she said on the social network X.
Earlier in the day, the Indian Prime Minister had indicated that his country was ready to offer "all possible assistance" to Myanmar and Thailand.
