Earthquake in Thailand, Myanmar: Tremors felt in Manipur & Meghalaya
Two reportedly dead as building collapses in Bangkok
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) to remain in touch with the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand, after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the two countries on Friday (March 28).
Expressing concern over the situation, Modi posted on X, “Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone. India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, asked our authorities to be on standby.”
The powerful earthquake struck truck central Myanmar, causing roads to buckle in the capital Naypyidaw. The impact was felt in Thailand’s Bangkok where a building collapsed, trapping around 43 workers. According to reports, two people have died and seven have been rescued. A state of emergency has been declared in Bangkok.
Tremors were felt as far as China and even parts of India. The earthquake's epicentre was located 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of Myanmar’s city of Sagaing, at a depth of 10 kilometres, around 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). A 6.4-magnitude aftershock hit the same area minutes later.
In India, tremors were felt in the northeastern States of Manipur and Meghalaya. According to the National Center for Seismology, East Garo Hills in Meghalaya experienced an earthquake around 1 pm, measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale.
In Manipur, people immediately came out of their houses as soon as they felt the tremors.
Tragedy struck Thailand just days before its capital city Bangkok is to host the 6th BIMSTEC Summit on April 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Thailand to attend the summit on April 3. Thereafter, he will leave for Sri Lanka for a two day tour from April 4 to 6.
BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation. The theme for this year’s summit is "BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open.”