Powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits central Myanmar
Listen to article
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), causing significant damage in the capital Naypyidaw and shaking regions in China and Thailand.
The earthquake's epicenter was located 16 kilometres northwest of Sagaing city, at a depth of 10 kilometres, around 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), as reported by the USGS.
In Bangkok, some metro and light rail services were halted due to the tremors. AFP reporters in Naypyidaw reported that the force of the earthquake caused roads to buckle and chunks of ceilings to fall from buildings. In northern Thailand, including the capital Bangkok, people fled their buildings as they shook from the tremors.
Duangjai, a resident of Chiang Mai, a popular northern tourist city, told AFP, 'I heard it and was sleeping in the house, I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building.'
Tremors were also felt in China's southwestern Yunnan province, where Beijing's quake agency reported the jolt measuring 7.9 in magnitude.
Myanmar, located near the Sagaing Fault, experiences regular earthquakes, including six strong quakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher between 1930 and 1956, according to the USGS.
In 2016, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar's ancient capital, Bagan, resulted in three deaths and significant damage, including the destruction of temple spires and walls at the popular tourist destination.
The country's rural areas, where the medical system is under strain, may face challenges in providing aid and assistance to those affected.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Over a million Pakistanis found work abroad
Hundreds of holidaymakers have been left stranded in Palma Airport after flights were cancelled. PHOTO: AFP Millions of Pakistanis have sought employment abroad during the ongoing fiscal year 202425, with the highest number of workers hailing from Punjab, according to the latest figures released in the Pakistan Economic Survey. The data shows that 404,345 individuals from Punjab left for foreign countries over the past year, making it the largest contributor to the country's overseas workforce. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa followed with 187,000 workers going abroad for employment, while 60,424 workers from Sindh also sought work overseas during the same period. From the tribal districts, a total of 29,937 individuals left the country for jobs abroad. Meanwhile, 29,591 workers from Azad Jammu and Kashmir joined the foreign labour market. The report further states that 8,621 workers from the federal capital, Islamabad, went overseas during the fiscal year. However, Balochistan saw a comparatively smaller outflow, with 5,668 individuals migrating for work. Moreover, 1,692 people from the northern areas of Pakistan also went abroad in search of employment.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Trump's travel ban on 12 countries set to take effect from Monday
US President Donald Trump's order banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States goes into effect at 12:01 am ET (0401 GMT) on Monday, a move the president promulgated to protect the country from 'foreign terrorists.' The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Trump, a Republican, said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a 'large-scale presence of terrorists,' fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. He cited last Sunday's incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which an Egyptian national tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new curbs are needed. But Egypt is not part of the travel ban. The travel ban forms part of Trump's policy to restrict immigration into the United States and is reminiscent of a similar move in his first term when he barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. Officials and residents in countries whose citizens will soon be banned expressed dismay and disbelief. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to US citizens in response to Trump's action. 'Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride,' he said in a Facebook post, referring to countries such as Qatar, which gifted the US a luxury airplane for Trump's use and promised to invest billions of dollars in the US. Afghans who worked for the US or US-funded projects and were hoping to resettle in the US expressed fear that the travel ban would force them to return to their country, where they could face reprisal from the Taliban. Democratic US lawmakers also voiced concern about the policies. 'Trump's travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional,' said US Representative Ro Khanna on social media late on Thursday. 'People have a right to seek asylum.'
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Trump's travel ban on 12 countries goes into effect early Monday
WASHINGTON:US President Donald Trump's order banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States goes into effect at 12:01 am ET (0401 GMT) on Monday, a move the president promulgated to protect the country from 'foreign terrorists.' The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Trump, a Republican, said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a 'large-scale presence of terrorists,' fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. He cited last Sunday's incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which an Egyptian national tossed a gasoline bomb into a crowd of pro-Israel demonstrators as an example of why the new curbs are needed. But Egypt is not part of the travel ban. The travel ban forms part of Trump's policy to restrict immigration into the United States and is reminiscent of a similar move in his first term when he barred travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. Officials and residents in countries whose citizens will soon be banned expressed dismay and disbelief. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to U.S. citizens in response to Trump's action. Iran says US travel ban shows 'deep hostility' for Iranians, Muslims 'Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride,' he said in a Facebook post, referring to countries such as Qatar, which gifted the U.S. a luxury airplane for Trump's use and promised to invest billions of dollars in the U.S. Afghans who worked for the U.S. or U.S.-funded projects and were hoping to resettle in the U.S. expressed fear that the travel ban would force them to return to their country, where they could face reprisal from the Taliban. Democratic U.S. lawmakers also voiced concern about the policies. 'Trump's travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional,' said U.S. Representative Ro Khanna on social media late on Thursday. 'People have a right to seek asylum.'
