Myanmar reported that the death toll from a recent powerful earthquake has surged past 800, while in Thailand, rescue teams are tirelessly searching for numerous individuals missing after a high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok. The earthquake, measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale and the most significant in Myanmar in a hundred years, has also left over 2,000 people injured and 68 individuals unaccounted for, as per the State Administration Council's information team.
In Bangkok, authorities confirmed 10 fatalities, 16 injuries, and approximately 101 missing individuals across three construction sites, including a 30-story building that toppled. More than 80 people are believed to still be trapped at the collapsed high-rise, according to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. The severity of the situation led the government to declare the earthquake a level 3 disaster, prompting coordinated rescue and relief efforts by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. While there have been 77 aftershocks up to 6 a.m. in Bangkok, none have been strongly felt in Thailand.
City officials in Bangkok have mandated safety evaluations for both public and government buildings following the quake. Engineers will assess the structures and classify damages into different severity levels. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pledged government aid and financial assistance to those impacted, emphasizing the importance of residents in tall buildings consulting management regarding infrastructure safety.
After midnight inspections on Friday, authorities instructed Ratwithi Hospital not to use its premise due to earthquake-induced damage, with three hospitals checked in total. The Thai capital set up 11 temporary shelters for affected individuals, and some rail services by Bangkok Expressway and Metro will remain suspended temporarily for safety checks. The country's stock and futures exchanges halted trading on Friday due to evacuations caused by the quake, with activities suspended at the stock exchange headquarters at least until Tuesday, although it's not clear if trading will resume during this period.