At least 144 people have died in Myanmar in a powerful 7,7 magnitude earthquake that hit that country and Thailand today.
Myanmar's military junta chief Min Aung Hlaing confirmed the news in a televised address, adding that 730 people were injured.
"The number of dead and injured is expected to rise," he said.
The extent of the damage and suffering in Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in the world, is not fully known because the country is in a civil war and information is strictly controlled.
In the Thai capital Bangkok, at least eight people were killed when a skyscraper under construction collapsed. Several workers were rescued.
The epicenter of the quake, which struck around noon local time, was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city. It was followed by a strong aftershock measuring 6,4 magnitude.
Great material damage was caused in both countries.
The Myanmar government has said blood donations are needed in the hardest-hit areas, and videos from the country show collapsed houses and cracked roads, as well as rescue teams searching for survivors.
A bridge and a dam collapsed near the city of Mandalay, raising concerns about how rescuers will reach areas of the country, which is already in a humanitarian crisis due to the war and many parts are inaccessible. More than three million people have been displaced and nearly 20 million are in need, according to the United Nations.
The British humanitarian organization Christian Aid announced that their partners and colleagues on the ground reported that the dam's rupture had caused water levels to rise in lowland areas in the area.
The Ma Soe Jane monastery, one of the largest in the city, also collapsed, and the former royal palace was also damaged.
Near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market, a 33-story building under construction, with a crane on top, collapsed in a cloud of dust, with footage showing workers screaming and running away.
People began to flee by car, leaving many streets in the city blocked. Train and metro services were suspended.
"Suddenly the whole building started moving. There was immediate screaming and a lot of panic," said Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, who was in one of the shopping malls in Bangkok.
Although the area where the quake occurred is prone to earthquakes, they are usually not that strong and are rarely felt in the Thai capital.
Elsewhere in Bangkok, people were evacuated from their buildings and warned to stay outside in case there were more aftershocks.
Bangkok City Hall declared the city a disaster area to facilitate the response. The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.
The US Geological Survey and the German Geosciences Center GFZ said the quake was at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to preliminary reports. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage.
The Red Cross said downed power lines were making it difficult for teams trying to reach several hard-hit areas.
Myanmar's military government has declared a state of emergency in six regions and federal states. It is unclear what this actually means, as the entire country has been under a state of emergency since 2021, when the military took power. Given the civil war, it is also unclear how aid will reach many regions.
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