Powerful earthquakes rock Myanmar and Thailand

Powerful earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 6.4 on Richter Scale have struck Myanmar and Thailand, says the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The strong tremors caused destruction in Thailand and felt elsewhere in the region.

Reports said the first tremor rocked 16km (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing at a depth of 10km (6 miles) at about 12:50pm (06:20 GMT) on Friday, USGS said.

Roads were buckled in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw by the force of the tremors and chunks of ceilings fell from buildings.

A fire department official said they have started search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. He added that so far, they have no information yet.

In Bangkok, panicked residents came out of high-rise buildings as tremors were forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools.

A tourist told media that he heard it and he was sleeping in the house. I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building, he added.

Reports suggest 43 construction workers are stuck under the rubble of an unfinished 30-storey building in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, where some metro and light rail services were suspended.