A devastating earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread destruction across the impoverished nation. Officials warned that the death toll, already surpassing 140, was expected to rise. In Thailand, at least six people were killed in Bangkok, where an under-construction high-rise collapsed. The full extent of casualties and damage remains unclear, especially in Myanmar, where a civil war and strict government controls limit information. Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, announced on television that at least 144 people had died and 730 were injured. In Thailand, officials revised their initial death toll, reducing it from 10 to six, clarifying that some critically injured victims had been mistakenly reported as deceased. What to do if you're in a building during an earthquake? The 7.7-magnitude quake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, at midday, followed by strong aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4. Widespread Devastation in MyanmarMyanmar, located in an active seismic zone, has experienced quakes before, but Friday’s event affected densely populated areas. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the death toll could exceed 1,000. In Mandalay, multiple buildings collapsed, including a major monastery. Photos from Naypyidaw showed rescuers pulling victims from the rubble of government housing. The disaster has increased demand for blood donations in the worst-hit regions. Myanmar’s government signaled openness to foreign aid, a shift from previous reluctance. The United Nations has allocated $5 million for initial relief efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump pledged American support, though concerns remain about the impact of his administration’s foreign aid cuts on disaster response. Over 150 killed as powerful earthquake strikes Myanmar and Thailand Severe infrastructure damage—including a collapsed bridge and a burst dam—has made rescue efforts challenging. International Rescue Committee official Mohammed Riyas warned that it could take weeks to assess the full scope of destruction. Bridges Collapse, Monastery Falls, and Dam BurstsMyanmar’s state-run newspaper, Global New Light of Myanmar, reported that five cities experienced building collapses, and two bridges fell, including one on a major highway between Mandalay and Yangon. A photo showed the wreckage of an emergency department at Naypyidaw’s main hospital. A video from Mandalay captured monks filming the Ma Soe Yane monastery just before it crumbled. Damage was also reported at the city’s former royal palace. Christian Aid stated that a dam breach in one city led to flooding in low-lying areas. In Yangon, the country’s largest city, residents fled their homes when the quake struck. In Naypyidaw, partially collapsed buildings left rescuers working through piles of debris. Julie Mehigan of Christian Aid highlighted the disaster’s impact on a nation already struggling with conflict and displacement. The military, which seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021, is engaged in a violent civil war, making aid delivery to affected areas difficult. More than 3 million people have been displaced, with nearly 20 million in need of humanitarian assistance. High-Rise Collapse in BangkokIn Thailand, a 33-story building under construction collapsed near Bangkok’s Chatuchak market, sending a massive cloud of dust into the air. Video footage showed people screaming and fleeing as the structure fell. Emergency sirens echoed across the city as rescue teams worked through the wreckage, where twisted steel and shattered concrete piled up. The injured were rushed to hospitals, some treated on sidewalks. “This is a terrible tragedy,” Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said after visiting the site. Although earthquakes are not uncommon in the region, tremors are rarely felt in Bangkok, a city of over 17 million residents. Witnesses described swaying buildings and chaotic evacuations. Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer, described seeing lights swinging and hearing creaking sounds before she and her colleagues fled down 12 flights of stairs. A Scottish tourist, Fraser Morton, recounted the sudden panic inside a shopping mall, while an English visitor, Paul Vincent, witnessed a rooftop pool spilling water as people screamed in the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ geoscience center reported that the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), making its impact more severe. Quake Felt in China The tremors extended into China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, causing damage and injuries in the border city of Ruili. Residents in Mangshi, about 100 kilometers northeast of Ruili, described the shaking as so intense that standing upright was impossible.   

A powerful earthquake collapsed at least one coal mine and many flimsy mud houses in southwest Pakistan early Thursday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 200, an official said. The death toll was expected to rise even further as crews searched in the remote mountainous area, said Suhail Anwar Shaheen, the local deputy commissioner. At least four of the dead were killed when the coal mine in which they were working collapsed, said Shaheen, citing coal miners in the area. As many as 100 homes also collapsed, burying sleeping residents inside. The epicenter of the 5.9 magnitude quake was about 14 kilometers (8 miles) north-northeast of Harnai in Baluchistan province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The initial measurement of the quake’s strength was 5.7 magnitude. It struck about 20 kilometers (12 miles) below the Earth’s surface; shallower quakes tend to cause more damage. Read: What makes Haiti prone to devastating earthquakes The area, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Quetta, the provincial capital, is dotted with coal mines, which has Shaheen worried the death toll could rise. It struck in the early morning while scores of miners were already at work, he said. Most of the population in the area live in sunbaked mud houses, many of which collapsed. Rescue efforts were underway, but Shaheen said it would take hours just to reach many of the hardest-hit areas. Read: Haiti quake death toll rises to 1,419, injured now at 6,000 Local TV channels showed residents wrapped in blankets sitting on the side of the road waiting for the aftershocks to subside and help to arrive. The area is remote and already the autumn nighttime temperatures are chilly.

A strong earthquake measuring over 6.0 on the Richter Scale hit both Bangladesh and India in a span of 30 minutes early on Wednesday morning, authorities in both the countries said.   In Bangladesh, strong tremors were felt at 8.21am in different parts of the country, including the capital, according to Sheikh Hanif of the Dhaka Met office.   In neighbouring India, the quake shook the states of Assam in the northeast and West Bengal in the east at 7.51 am, the National Centre for Seismology said.   The epicentre of the earthquake in India was 43 km west of Assam's Tezpur in the state’s Sonitpur district, the Center said. Also read: 5.1 magnitude earthquake jolts Dhaka "Big earthquake hits Assam. I pray for the well being of all and urge everyone to stay alert. Taking updates from all districts," Assam's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tweeted. Though there have been no reports of any casualties in both the countries, local TV channels in India reported that several houses in Assam have developed cracks. Also read: 5.8 magnitude earthquake jolts Dhaka, other areas again