Latest news with #SongwutWangpon
Daily Tribune
28-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Massive Earthquake Strikes Thailand and Myanmar, High-Rise Collapses in Bangkok
Bangkok and parts of Myanmar were rocked by a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday, causing widespread destruction and panic. In the Thai capital, a high-rise building under construction collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers under the rubble. The number of casualties remains uncertain as rescue operations continue. Thailand's Prime Minister has declared a state of emergency in the city, mobilizing emergency response teams to the disaster-stricken area. Fatalities Reported in Bangkok Building Collapse Emergency responders in Bangkok confirmed that at least two people have died following the collapse of the high-rise building. Rescuers, working against time, have managed to pull seven survivors from the wreckage. Songwut Wangpon, a rescue worker at the scene, reported that efforts are ongoing to locate and save those still trapped beneath the debris. Myanmar Mosque Partially Collapses, Claims Three Lives In neighboring Myanmar, at least three people were killed when a mosque in the Bago region partially collapsed due to the earthquake. Witnesses in the town of Taungnoo described how worshippers were mid-prayer when the tremors struck. 'We were saying prayers when the shaking started... Three died on the spot,' an eyewitness told Reuters. Stock Exchange of Thailand Halts Trading The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) suspended all trading activities for the afternoon session on Friday following the earthquake. The bourse operator issued an official statement announcing the immediate suspension due to the tremors that shook Bangkok, citing concerns over market stability and safety. Myanmar Hospital Overwhelmed with Casualties In Myanmar's capital, a major hospital has been turned into a "mass casualty area," struggling to treat the injured. The earthquake, which struck northwest of Sagaing at a shallow depth, was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock, exacerbating the crisis. Medical facilities across affected regions are being stretched to their limits as casualties continue to rise. Myanmar's Junta Requests International Humanitarian Aid In a rare move, Myanmar's ruling junta has appealed for international humanitarian assistance and declared a state of emergency in six regions. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing visited a hospital in Naypyidaw where earthquake victims were receiving treatment. The request for aid highlights the severity of the disaster as Myanmar struggles to manage the aftermath of one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit the region in recent history. Rescue operations and relief efforts are ongoing across both countries, with authorities warning of potential aftershocks. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hundreds feared dead as Myanmar and Thailand hit with 7.7-magnitude earthquake
Hundreds of people are feared dead after Myanmar was hit with a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake that was felt in neighbouring Thailand - causing a high-rise building under construction to collapse. The quake was followed by a second 6.4-magnitude shock, with the US Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ centre for geosciences reporting the first tremor's epicentre in Myanmar. A hospital in the capital Naypyidaw has declared the quake a 'major casualty event', with concerns that people may be trapped or further injured by falling debris. At least three people have been confirmed dead in Thailand and three in Myanmar, with scores more missing and injured. Earlier in the day, Myanmar's military junta made a plea for international assistance. There are now concerns over the stability of damaged buildings in Myanmar, as well as over the safety of dams in the impact zone - with further threat to human life if they should collapse. Read more from our media partners below or click the headlines to skip ahead >Bangkok high-rise block collapses as huge 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocks Thailand and Myanmar >First deaths confirmed as 'mass casualty' quake hits Myanmar, Thailand >Three dead and 90 missing as strong earthquake rocks Thai capital >Myanmar quake damaged buildings and infrastructure, causes concern over dams, Red Cross says >Rooftop pool spills over skyscraper as Bangkok hit by earthquake tremors A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday, causing a high-rise building in Bangkok to collapse and sparking fears thousands could be dead in neighbouring Myanmar. The US Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the initial midday tremor was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with an epicenter in Myanmar, according to preliminary reports. A second quake, with a magnitude of 6.4, shook the area 12 minutes later. Read more from The Standard. A massive earthquake Friday turned a major hospital in Myanmar's capital into a "mass casualty area", while at least three people were killed and dozens trapped in neighbouring Thailand when a skyscraper collapsed... The devastation prompted a rare request for international aid from Myanmar's isolated military junta, which has lost swathes of territory to armed groups, as it declared a state of emergency across the six worst-affected regions. Read more from AFP. Thailand's defence minister said three people are confirmed dead and 90 are missing at the site where a high-rise building under construction collapsed in a powerful earthquake. Earlier, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters seven people had been found alive at the site near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market. The multi-story structure collapsed after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck at midday local time on Friday, sending a crane on top toppling to the ground and a massive plume of dust into the air. Read the full story from PA. The powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar on Friday damaged buildings and public infrastructure and there are concerns for the state of large dams, the Red Cross said on Friday. Six states and regions are most impacted - particularly in the northwest of the country, the Red Cross said. "Public infrastructure has been damaged, including roads, bridges and public buildings," Marie Manrique, Program Coordinator for the International Federation of the Red Cross said to reporters in Geneva, via video link from Yangon. Read more from Reuters. Water from a rooftop pool was seen cascading down the side of a skyscraper in Bangkok, after tremors from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake were felt in Thailand on Friday, 28 March. Bangkok police say they are evacuating people from unsafe buildings, with the public advised to avoid high-rise buildings, which dominate the densely populated Thai capital. Read more from The Independent.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- General
- Associated Press
The Latest: Major earthquakes strike Myanmar and Thailand
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake and an aftershock measuring 6.4 rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday, bringing down a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok and damaging historic buildings in Myanmar. Damage was also reported in China. The quake struck in the early afternoon, sending people streaming out of buildings and seeking shelter anywhere they could find it from the blazing sun. Myanmar's military-run government has declared a state of emergency in six regions. The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments. While the epicenter was in Myanmar, the area is generally sparsely populated, and most houses are low-rise structures. Bridge collapse, highway damaged In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city and close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media. In the Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, were damaged. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a military government spokesperson, told state television MRTV that blood was in high demand in the hospitals in earthquakes-hit areas, especially Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw. He urged blood donors to contact the hospitals as soon as possible. 'Significant damage' The Red Cross said downed power lines are adding to challenges for their teams trying to reach Mandalay and Sagaing regions and southern Shan state. 'Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,' the Red Cross said. 'Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.' State of emergency A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar by the military-run government. State-run MRTV television said the government's proclamation includes the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, after the earthquake and a strong aftershock, whose epicenter was near the country's second largest city. Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war and many areas are not easily accessible and it was not immediately clear what relief efforts the military would be able to provide. Many missing in Bangkok building collapse Thai emergency responders said at least two people have been found dead and an unknown number of others are still under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bangkok. Rescue worker Songwut Wangpon, speaking at the scene of a tall pile of rubble that was once a high-rise building under construction, told reporters another seven people had been found alive. Thailand's Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai later said three people had been confirmed dead with 90 others missing following the building collapse. The collapse of the multi-story structure sent a crane on top of it toppling to the ground and created a massive plume of dust. People rush for safety in teeming Bangkok People in the Silom business district of Bangkok evacuated office buildings and condominium towers along Rama IV Road and streamed into nearby Lumphini Park. The sidewalks filled with work crews with neon green shirts, along with other workers in hard hats and blue and green uniform shirts. Along the walkways of the park and the sidewalks of Silom and nearby Sathon, people in business attire and company uniforms huddled or stood in packs talking and checking their phones. Some moving through the crowds were crying or visibly distraught. Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck. 'The next thing, everybody came on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panicking, which obviously made it a lot worse,' he said. As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water was falling from a rooftop pool. 'When I saw the building, oh my God, that's when ... it hit me,' he said. 'There was people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really.' Damage reported in nearby China The earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused injuries and damage to houses in the city of Ruili on the border with northern Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled on a stretcher toward an ambulance. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. Thai prime minister promises all necessary help Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in a news conference that she has ordered relevant agencies to prepare and work to relieve the situation and warned of possible aftershocks. She didn't mention any casualties. 'I'd like to ask everyone to stay calm and do not panic, but please be careful.'
Los Angeles Times
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
7.7-magnitude earthquake rocks Thailand and Myanmar
BANGKOK — A powerful earthquake rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Footage shared on social media from Myanmar's second-largest city showed widespread destruction, raising fears that many were trapped under the rubble or killed. The 7.7 magnitude quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay in Myanmar, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock. The extent of the death, injury and destruction — especially in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a brutal civil war that has already caused a widespread humanitarian crisis — was not yet clear. Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas, and videos from the country showed multiple collapsed houses and buckled and cracked roads. A dramatic video of the building's collapse near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market showed the multistory building with a crane on top toppling into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran. The sound of sirens echoed throughout central Bangkok and vehicles filled the streets, leaving some of the city's already congested streets gridlocked. The elevated rapid transit system and subway were shut down. While the area where the quake struck is prone to earthquakes, they are usually not so big and it is rare for them to felt in the Thai capital. April Kanichawanakul, who works in an office building in Bangkok's city center, at first didn't even realize it was an earthquake, the first she'd ever experienced. 'I just thought I was dizzy,' she said. She and her colleagues ran downstairs from the 10th floor of their building and waited outside for a signal that it was safe to go back in. Myanmar's military-run government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states including the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay. It was not clear what the declaration meant since the entire country has been under a state of emergency since 2021, when the army seized power. Given the civil war, it was also not clear how help would get to many regions. The Red Cross said downed power lines are adding to challenges for their teams trying to reach Mandalay and Sagaing regions and southern Shan state. 'Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,' the Red Cross said. 'Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.' In Bangkok, a construction worker was killed when rubble from the collapsing building site hit his truck and another was crushed by the falling debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters. Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said in all three people were killed at the site and 90 are missing. He offered no more details about the ongoing rescue efforts but first responders said that seven people had been rescued so far from outside the collapsed building. Rescue workers say the rubble is still too unstable for them to try and find people possibly trapped beneath. A dramatic video of the building's collapse near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market circulated on social media showed the multi-story building with a crane on top toppling into a cloud of dust, while onlookers screamed and ran. Elsewhere, people in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the earthquake was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to preliminary reports. Bangkok's city hall declared the city a disaster area to facilitate interagency aid and emergency help. The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments. 'All of a sudden the whole building began to move. Immediately there was screaming and a lot of panic,' said Fraser Morton, a tourist from Scotland, who was in one of Bangkok's many malls. 'I just started walking calmly at first but then the building started really moving, yeah, a lot of screaming, a lot of panic, people running the wrong way down the escalators, lots of banging and crashing inside the mall.' Like Morton, thousands of people poured into Benjasiri Park from nearby shopping malls, high rises and apartment buildings along Bangkok's busy Sukhumvit Road. Many were on phones trying to reach loved ones as others sought shade from the hot early afternoon sun. Others stared up fearfully at the tall buildings in the densely packed part of the city. 'I got outside and then looked up at the building and the whole building was moving, dust and debris, it was pretty intense,' Morton said. 'Lots of chaos.' Voranoot Thirawat, a lawyer working in central Bangkok, said her first indication that something was wrong came when she saw a light swinging back and forth. Then she heard the building creaking as it moved back and forth. She and her colleagues ran down 12 flights of stairs. 'In my lifetime, there was no earthquake like this in Bangkok,' she said. Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck. 'The next thing, everybody came on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panicking, which obviously made it a lot worse,' he said. As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water falling from a rooftop pool. 'When I saw the building, oh my God, that's when ... it hit me,' he said. 'There was people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really.' In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city and close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media. While the area is prone to earthquakes, it is generally sparsely populated, and most houses are low-rise structures. In the Sagaing region just southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and some sections of the highway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar's largest city, Yangon, were also damaged. Residents in Yangon rushed out of their homes when the quake struck. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. In the capital Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious shrines, sending parts toppling to the ground, and some homes. Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the military government's spokesperson, told state television MRTV that blood was in high demand in the hospitals in earthquakes-hit areas, especially Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyitaw. He urged blood donors to contact the hospitals as soon as possible. To the northeast, the earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused damage to houses and injuries in the city of Ruili on the border with Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled in a stretcher toward an ambulance. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. A resident of Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, told The Paper that her ceiling lamp was swinging wildly and the shaking lasted more than 10 seconds. Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention said the quake was felt in almost all regions of the country. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the quake. Rising and Saksornchai write for the Associated Press. Adam Schreck, Haruka Naga, Jerry Harmer, Grant Peck and Penny Wang in Bangkok, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
The Hill
28-03-2025
- General
- The Hill
The Latest: Major earthquakes strike Myanmar and Thailand
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A 7.7 magnitude earthquake and an aftershock measuring 6.4 rocked Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday, bringing down a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok and damaging historic buildings in Myanmar. The quake struck in the early afternoon, sending people streaming out of buildings and seeking shelter anywhere they could find it from the blazing sun. Myanmar's military-run government has declared a state of emergency in six regions. The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments. While the epicenter was in Myanmar, the area is generally sparsely populated, and most houses are low-rise structures. In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city and close to the epicenter, the earthquake damaged part of the former royal palace and buildings, according to videos and photos released on Facebook social media. In the Sagaing region just southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed. Damage was also reported in China. 'Significant damage' The Red Cross said downed power lines are adding to challenges for their teams trying to reach Mandalay and Sagaing regions and southern Shan state. 'Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,' the Red Cross said. 'Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.' State of emergency A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar by the military-run government. State-run MRTV television said the government's proclamation includes the capital Naypyitaw and Mandalay, after the earthquake and a strong aftershock, whose epicenter was near the country's second largest city. Myanmar is in the midst of a civil war and many areas are not easily accessible and it was not immediately clear what relief efforts the military would be able to provide. Bangkok building collapse casualties Thai emergency responders say two people have been found dead and an unknown number of others are still under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bangkok. Rescue worker Songwut Wangpon, speaking at the scene of a tall pile of rubble that was once a high-rise building under construction, told reporters another seven people had been found alive. The collapse of the multi-story structure sent a crane on top of it toppling to the ground and created a massive plume of dust. People rush for safety in teeming Bangkok People in the Silom business district of Bangkok evacuated office buildings and condominium towers along Rama IV Road and streamed into nearby Lumphini Park. The sidewalks filled with work crews with neon green shirts, along with other workers in hard hats and blue and green uniform shirts. Along the walkways of the park and the sidewalks of Silom and nearby Sathon, people in business attire and company uniforms huddled or stood in packs talking and checking their phones. Some moving through the crowds were crying or visibly distraught. Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck. 'The next thing, everybody came on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panicking, which obviously made it a lot worse,' he said. As he came onto the street himself, he said he saw a high-rise building swaying and water was falling from a rooftop pool. 'When I saw the building, oh my God, that's when … it hit me,' he said. 'There was people crying in the streets and, you know, the panic was horrendous really.' Damage reported in nearby China The earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused injuries and damage to houses in the city of Ruili on the border with northern Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports. Videos that one outlet said it had received from a person in Ruili showed building debris littering a street and a person being wheeled on a stretcher toward an ambulance. The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Ruili, was so strong that people couldn't stand, one resident told The Paper, an online media outlet. Thai prime minister promises all necessary help Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said in a news conference that she has ordered relevant agencies to prepare and work to relieve the situation and warned of possible aftershocks. She didn't mention any casualties. 'I'd like to ask everyone to stay calm and do not panic, but please be careful.'
