A cataclysmic 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit off Myanmar’s Sagaing city on Friday, bringing widespread damage and panic across several regions of the world, including Thailand and China. Extensive damage has been reported on buildings, bridges, and metro services, while a 1000-bed hospital in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, is now described as a “mass casualty area” by AFP.

Hospital Becomes Epicenter of Earthquake

One of Naypyidaw’s biggest hospitals was hit hard by the quake, with harrowing scenes of wounded patients being treated on the streets for emergency care. Doctors rushed to give IV drips as families comforted their relatives outside the damaged building. Authorities have not yet announced the number of fatalities.

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In Myanmar’s Mandalay region, several residential apartments were severely damaged, and the historic Irrawaddy River bridge was destroyed. A monastery along the Thai border also collapsed because of the strong tremors.

Bangkok Skyscraper Collapse Traps 43

In Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city, an incomplete 30-story building intended for government offices collapsed. At least 43 people are feared trapped in the debris.

“When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying help me,'” Deputy Police Chief of Bang Sue district Worapat Sukthai said. “We estimate that hundreds of people are injured but we are still determining the number of casualties.”

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra imposed a state of emergency and suspended metro services in Bangkok following frightening footage of a train jerking violently at a station.

China, India, and Bangladesh Also Experience Earthquake Tremors

The effect of the earthquake did not just reach Myanmar and Thailand, with China’s Yunnan province feeling intense tremors. The China Earthquake Networks Center registered the quake at a 7.9 magnitude.

In India, there were tremors in Kolkata and Manipur, while in Bangladesh, Dhaka and Chattogram experienced shaking. No serious damages or fatalities have been reported in these regions, however.

Widespread Panic and Aftershocks

Social media videos recorded the utter fear as buildings shook and citizens scurried onto the streets in panic. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, one resident, Duangjai, recalled the moment:

“I heard it… I was sleeping in the house, and then I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building.”

Aftershocks persisted to shake Myanmar and the surrounding areas, with a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hitting shortly after the first quake.

Rescue Operations in Progress

Rescue workers are working around the clock to find survivors buried under the rubble in both Thailand and Myanmar. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but officials anticipate casualty figures to increase as more information comes in.

The catastrophic quake has shaken Myanmar, Thailand, and other countries in the region, leaving emergency personnel fighting against time to rescue people.