Death toll from earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand climbs to more than 1,600

Myanmar's ruling military said on Saturday that the death toll from Friday's massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake had climbed to 1,644 people as crews continued to pull bodies from the rubble of collapsed buildings.

The earthquake struck at midday near Mandalay, Myanmar, close to its border with Thailand. A strong 6.4 aftershock hit the area about 12 minutes later. Several people died in the collapses of a mosque and hotel in the Myanmar, Reuters reported hours after the incident. The quake also brought down many other buildings and several bridges.

The United States Geological Survey accurately predicted that the quake would cause fatalities in the thousands. The science bureau expected extensive ground liquefaction, or instability caused by the earthquake, in populated areas.

Myanmar’s military-run government declared an emergency for several of its states including Mandalay. But the entire country has been under a state of emergency and ongoing civil war since the junta seized power in 2021.

How did the earthquake affect Thailand? As of Saturday morning, eight people are confirmed dead in Bangkok, Thailand, according to the Thai Enquirer. Social media footage showed people fleeing as a skyscraper under construction collapsed, sending billowing clouds of debris racing through the streets. Eight survivors had been pulled from the building as of Saturday morning. Seventy-nine people in the building remain unaccounted for.

Are more earthquakes expected near the Mandalay-Thailand border? Several other tremors in the 4.6 range followed the initial quake in the subsequent hours, according to the United States Geological Survey. The bureau estimates seismic activity greater than magnitude 4 will continue around the earthquake’s epicenter for about three weeks.