A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand earlier today, killing at least 154 people as President Trump pledged U.S. assistance to the devastated region.
“The death toll and injuries are expected to increase,” stated Myanmar’s military ruler Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing during a television broadcast, confirming 144 fatalities and 730 wounded in his nation.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Thai officials documented 10 deaths, 16 injuries, and 101 missing persons from three construction sites in Bangkok, including one collapsed high-rise.
The tremor hit at midday near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, with multiple aftershocks following, including one measuring 6.4 magnitude.
United States Geological Survey experts estimated that casualties could ultimately exceed 1,000 throughout the region.
Myanmar’s military regime, which seized power in a 2021 coup, issued urgent calls for blood donations and expressed willingness to accept foreign assistance. The United Nations immediately allocated $5 million for initial relief efforts.
President Donald Trump pledged American aid to the earthquake-ravaged region on Friday, saying, “We’re going to be helping. We’ve already alerted the people. Yeah, it’s terrible what happened.”
Rescue operations face enormous obstacles in Myanmar, which is already suffering from devastating civil conflict, not to mention the now-collapsed bridges and cracked roads as a result of the earthquake.
“We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction,” warned Mohammed Riyas, International Rescue Committee’s Myanmar director.
State media reported building collapses across five urban areas and the destruction of two bridges, including one on a crucial highway connecting major cities. A dam failure in Mandalay has reportedly caused flooding in the surrounding lowlands.
In Bangkok, witnesses captured footage of a 33-story construction project crumbling near the city’s famous Chatuchak market.
“It’s a great tragedy,” remarked Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit after visiting the remains of the city.
“Even before this heartbreaking earthquake, conflict and displacement has left countless people in real need,” said Julie Mehigan, who oversees Christian Aid’s work in Asia.
According to United Nations data, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already in desperate need of humanitarian assistance prior to the earthquake.
