Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday (March 28), shaking the region with devastating force. The tremor was so powerful that it was felt in neighboring Thailand and even as far as China.
The quake occurred along the Sagaing Fault, a major strike-slip fault line that runs through the country. The epicenter of the quake was located in the Sagaing region, near Mandalay, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
In response to the disaster, Myanmar’s ruling military junta declared a state of emergency in several regions, including Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, eastern Shan State, and Magway.
Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, which houses the country’s top military leaders, was also placed under emergency measures.
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that Bangkok had also declared a state of emergency due to the quake’s impact. “The Thai government has declared an emergency in Bangkok,” Shinawatra states as reported by AFP.
Aftershocks Continue to Rattle Myanmar
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded at least 14 aftershocks following the main earthquake. According to CNN, most aftershocks ranged between magnitude 3 and 5, occurring within hours of the initial tremor.
The strongest aftershock, measuring 6.7-magnitude, hit just 10 minutes after the main earthquake. Additionally, two other powerful tremors—4.9 and 6.7-magnitude—struck 32 kilometers from Mandalay, the closest major city to the epicenter.
Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, suffered massive destruction. The aftershocks spread both north and south from the epicenter, forming a linear damage pattern.
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Rising Death Toll and Destruction
This earthquake was considered the strongest to hit Myanmar since 1912 and the deadliest and most destructive since the country gained independence in 1948.
Photos by AFP from Mandalay showed collapsed buildings reduced to rubble, twisted metal covered in dust, and rescue workers searching for survivors amid the devastation.
As of the latest reports, the death toll has risen dramatically to 694, with 1,670 others injured. “A total of 694 people were killed in Mandalay alone, with 1,670 others injured,” Myanmar’s military junta said in an official statement on Saturday (March 29), as reported by AFP.
However, disrupted communications have made it difficult to assess the full scale of the disaster. Authorities fear the death toll may rise further as search-and-rescue operations continue.
(Raidi/Agung)
