IN BRIEF: What we know about impacts of earthquake in Myanmar, Thailand

Emergencies March 28, 12:21

Chinese seismologists believe the epicenter lay at a depth of 30 km

BANGKOK, March 28. /TASS/. A powerful earthquake has struck Myanmar, and tremors were felt in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

At least 67 workers were trapped in the debris of a collapsed building in Bangkok, AFP news agency reported.

TASS has compiled the main details about the consequences.

Magnitude

- According to the Chinese Seismological Administration, the magnitude of the earthquake was measured at 7.9.

- The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center estimated the magnitude at 7.7. The earthquake occurred 33 km southwest of the city of Mandalay, home to about 1.2 million people. According to the center, the epicenter was at a depth of 10 km.

- Chinese seismologists believe the epicenter lay at a depth of 30 km. The epicenter was at 21.85 degrees north latitude and 95.95 degrees east longitude.

- The tremors were felt in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

- A second 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Myanmar 12 minutes later, the Chinese Seismological Administration reported. The second tremor was recorded at 21.60 degrees north latitude and 95.95 degrees east longitude. Its epicenter was at a depth of 30 km.

Fallout

- The earthquake brought down a 1 km bridge over the Irrawaddy River, linking the suburbs of Myanmar’s second largest city, Mandalay, with the city of Sagaing, the Myanmar Now portal reported.

- People may be under the debris of buildings that collapsed in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, according to the Myanmar Now portal. It reported that the historic Mandalay Palace has partially collapsed.

- At least 20 children were trapped in a school building in the city of Taungoo in central Myanmar, The Times reported.

- A building collapsed in Bangkok due to the earthquake, Khaosod newspaper reported. At least 67 workers were trapped under the rubble, AFP news agency reported.

- Evacuation of residents of multi-story buildings began in Bangkok. The subway is not working.

- Thailand's aviation regulator halted all flights after the earthquake, The Nation newspaper reported.

- Airports in the Thai capital accept planes, but some have changed their landing approach, the Suvarnabhumi International Airport control room said.

- The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of potential imminent aftershocks, Khaosod newspaper reported.

Dead and injured

- At least one worker was killed in a building collapse in Bangkok, Thai’s Siam News portal reported. According to it, another 80 people have not been in touch since the incident.

- At least 50 people were injured after a building collapsed in Bangkok, CNN reported.

- At least 20 people died as a result of collapses in Myanmar, the NYT newspaper reported, citing a hospital in the country's second largest city, Mandalay.

- Numerous people were hospitalized with injuries in the capital of Myanmar after the earthquake, AFP news agency reported, citing an unnamed official.

- Five children and a monk-in-training died as a result of the collapse of a monastery building in Myanmar, the Eleven Myanmar portal reported.

- About 20 people may still be under the rubble after the collapse of a hotel in the Shan State in northeastern Myanmar, at least two have died, the DVD portal reported.

Reaction

- Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended a working event in the Phuket Province to hold an emergency meeting.

- She declared a state of emergency in Bangkok.

- The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the futures exchange TFEX suspended trading.

- Financial institutions in Thailand can offer clients only a limited range of services.

- Japanese automobile companies Nissan and Honda suspended their factories in Thailand, the Nikkei newspaper reported.

- The Russian embassy is checking for potentially injured citizens, said Ilya Ilyin, head of the consular department of the Russian diplomatic mission.

- Tour operators have not reported that any of the Russian tourists were hurt in the earthquake. Tourists in Phuket, Pattaya, and the islands continue to vacation normally, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) said.

- According to initial reports, up to 2,000 Russian tourists may be in Bangkok, about a quarter of them are packaged tour travelers, the association said.

- Russian diplomats in Thailand were not injured, the embassy building was not damaged.

- ATOR has not received information from its participants on the presence of packaged tour Russian tourists in Myanmar, tourist visits there from Russia are infrequent.

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