A powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, leaving at least 144 people dead and dozens injured, according to local authorities. The quake’s effects rippled across Southeast Asia, underscoring regional vulnerabilities and triggering international aid efforts.
In neighboring Thailand, rescue teams continue searching for more than 110 individuals missing after a high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok, where eight fatalities were confirmed. The incident has raised questions about construction safety standards in the densely populated capital.
Southwest China’s Yunnan Province also felt the tremor, with two people injured and over 1,700 residents affected in Ruili City. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed no Chinese nationals in Myanmar were killed, though it urged caution for travelers in quake-prone areas.
The United Nations swiftly allocated $5 million in emergency funding to support Myanmar’s relief operations, with further assessments underway to address long-term recovery needs. The disaster highlights cross-border cooperation challenges and the urgency of disaster preparedness in seismically active regions.
