Myanmar quake: what we know

A almighty earthquake centred successful Myanmar has killed much than 150 radical successful the war-torn state and neighbouring Thailand and caused wide damage.

Here is what we know:

- Powerful, and shallow -

The 7.7-magnitude quake deed northwest of Myanmar's Sagaing astatine 12:50 p.m. (0650 GMT) connected Friday astatine a shallow extent of 10 kilometres (six miles).

It was followed minutes aboriginal by a almighty 6.7-magnitude aftershock and a twelve smaller tremors.

The quake was felt crossed the region, with shaking reported from India to the westbound and China to the east, arsenic good arsenic Cambodia and Laos.

The quake deed on the Sagaing Fault that runs from the seashore to Myanmar's bluish border, according to earthquake scientists Judith Hubbard and Kyle Bradley.

It "has agelong been considered 1 of the astir unsafe strike-slip faults connected Earth" due to the fact that of its proximity to large cities Yangon and Mandalay, arsenic good arsenic superior Naypyidaw, they wrote successful an analysis.

The responsibility is comparatively elemental and straight, which geologists judge tin pb to particularly ample quakes, they added.

- Over 150 killed -

At slightest 144 radical person been confirmed dormant successful the quake successful Myanmar, according to the country's junta chief.

However, Min Aung Hlaing warned the toll was apt to emergence fixed the wide demolition crossed the country.

Myanmar's 4 years of civilian war, sparked by the subject seizing power, person besides weakened the country's exigency and wellness services, leaving them ill-equipped to respond to specified a disaster.

In Thailand, 10 radical were killed successful Bangkok, astir successful the illness of an under-construction skyscraper.

But up to 100 much operation workers were believed trapped successful the rubble of the building, adjacent the sprawling Chatuchak market.

Rescue operations continued passim the night, though it was proving analyzable to prime done the unstable rubble.

- Widespread harm -

The quake caused extended harm successful Myanmar.

There was monolithic demolition successful Mandalay, wherever aggregate buildings collapsed into piles of rubble and twisted metallic coated successful dust, dotted with radical attempting rescues.

The Ava span moving crossed the Irawaddy stream from Sagaing, built astir 100 years ago, collapsed into the swirling waters below.

There were reports of harm to Mandalay airport, perchance complicating alleviation efforts, arsenic good arsenic to the city's assemblage and palace, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In Naypyidaw, AFP reporters saw buildings toppled and roads ruptured.

At a infirmary successful the capital, patients were being treated outdoors aft the quake damaged the building, bringing down the exigency department's entrance.

Electricity outages were reported successful respective places, with powerfulness constricted to 4 hours successful Yangon owed to quake damage.

Communications crossed affected areas were besides patchy, with telephone networks mostly down.

In Bangkok, a crane collapsed astatine a 2nd gathering tract and the metropolis unopen down metro and airy obstruction services overnight to inspect for damage.

Several 100 radical slept successful parks overnight, metropolis authorities said, either incapable to get location oregon disquieted astir the structural integrity of their buildings.

The quake prompted thousands of radical to fly shaking buildings successful Thailand, wherever quakes are rare.

Even hospitals were evacuated, with 1 pistillate delivering a babe successful the thoroughfare successful Bangkok, and a surgeon continuing to run connected a diligent aft being forced to permission the theatre mid-operation.

- Aid pleas, offers -

The standard of the devastation prompted Myanmar's isolated subject authorities to marque a uncommon plea for planetary assistance.

Myanmar's junta main invited "any country, immoderate organisation" to assistance with alleviation and said helium he "opened each ways for overseas aid".

Offers of assistance flooded in, with neighbour India among the archetypal to accidental it was acceptable to help.

The European Union offered support, and US President Donald Trump said Washington had "already spoken" with Myanmar astir aid.

"It's a existent atrocious one, and we volition beryllium helping," helium told reporters.

The World Health Organization said it was preparing to surge enactment successful effect to "a very, precise large menace to beingness and health."

burs-sah/pdw/fox