Earthquake hits Myanmar — Hundreds feared dead

On Friday, March 28, a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Mandalay, Myanmar's second most populous city. The tremors were felt at around noon local time (06:00 GMT), and in less than six hours, the devastation was felt: roads were damaged, buildings collapsed, and a mile-long bridge was destroyed. 

This was reported by BBC.

Myanmar declares state of emergency  

Local authorities declared a state of emergency in six regions of the country. Government sources said at least three people dead after the partial collapse of the mosque, but rescue workers estimate the number of casualties "at least in the hundreds". According to a rescue worker in Mandalay, the scale of the destruction is "enormous".

The tremors were so strong that they were felt as far away as neighboring Thailand. In Bangkok, the collapse of an unfinished high-rise building killed three workers and injured dozens more. In addition, 90 construction workers are missing. Rescuers have already pulled seven victims from the rubble, Thailand's National Institute of Emergency Medicine reported.

Thai authorities warned of possible aftershocks over the next 24 hours and urged citizens to stay away from high buildings. Trading on the Thai stock exchange was temporarily suspended.

According to the US Geological Survey, the Myanmar earthquake has the potential to be as devastating as the catastrophic earthquake in Turkey in 2023. The epicenter of the earthquake was near the city of Sagaing in Myanmar, not far from Mandalay. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was shallow, at a depth of only 10 kilometers. 12 minutes later, another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 struck the region.

The exact extent of the disaster is difficult to determine at this time. Meanwhile, Red Cross rescue teams and local authorities continue to sift through the rubble.

The Red Cross has reported widespread damage, including to buildings in Mandalay and Sagaing. A 90-year-old bridge and sections of the highway linking Mandalay to Yangon were also damaged. The former royal palace is also reported to have been partially destroyed.

Earlier, we wrote that a tourist submarine carrying Russian citizens sank near the Egyptian resort of Hurghada. The sightseeing submarine Sinbad collided with a coral reef during an underwater walk, causing a depressurization on board.