Strong 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Bangkok

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked the Thai capital on Friday, causing buildings to sway and triggering alarms across the city. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ center for geosciences reported that the midday tremor had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with its epicenter in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary reports.

The earthquake struck around 1:30 p.m., prompting evacuations in central Bangkok as residents hurried down staircases of high-rise condominiums and hotels. Many gathered in the streets, seeking shade from the midday sun in the aftermath. The greater Bangkok area, home to over 17 million people, experienced tremors strong enough to send water sloshing out of pools in high-rise buildings.

The epicenter was located in central Myanmar, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of the city of Monywa. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in either Thailand or Myanmar, which is currently in the midst of a civil war.