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Thailand has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok after a powerful earthquake struck neighbouring Myanmar.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared the capital city an 'emergency zone' after dozens of buildings were severely damaged in the tremor. He has also called on everyone to evacuate high-rise buildings immediately.
According to Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention, the earthquake was felt in nearly every part of the country.
One of the most serious incidents involved a 30-storey skyscraper under construction in northern Bangkok, which collapsed during the tremor. Thai media reports say at least 43 construction workers are currently trapped inside.
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Experts from the US Geological Survey confirmed that two earthquakes were recorded hundreds of miles away in Myanmar.
The first was a 7.7 magnitude quake near Sagaing at around 1.20pm local time (Friday 28 March). 12 minutes later, a second quake measuring 6.4 hit just south of the area.
In Naypyidaw, Myanmar, a team of Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalists were inside the National Museum when the earthquake struck. They reported the ceiling cracking and shaking as the building began to crumble. Staff were rushing outside in panic, trembling and in shock, while others called loved ones.
Tremors tore apart nearby roads, and traffic came to a standstill near one of the city’s main hospitals, which became a 'mass casualty area' after the quake, AFP officials added. Medical staff were forced to treat injured patients outside the 1,000-bed hospital, using IV drips hooked up to gurneys on the street.
Myanmar has also declared a state of emergency following the devastation. The State Administration Council stated that the earthquake hit approximately 20 kilometres northeast of Mandalay at a depth of 10 kilometres, and was followed by three aftershocks.
"I was in the office at around 1.30pm local time when I felt the tremors," an eyewitness from Sky News in Bangkok explained. "Lights started to swing, the windowpanes shook, and people rushed downstairs to evacuate the building. There was no warning - despite this being a country still reeling from a devastating tsunami twenty years ago."
Thai security forces have been mobilised to ensure public safety, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is now closely monitoring the situation for possible aftershocks or additional seismic activity.
Geological experts warn that aftershocks are common in the hours following an earthquake. Although these are usually less intense, statistical data indicates a risk of a further significant earthquake within the next 24 hours.
