A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake occurred 16 kilometers (10 miles) northwest of Sagaing at 12:50 p.m. local time, followed by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock just 12 minutes later, USGS reported.
There have been no immediate reports of damage, but Myanmar has been in the midst of a civil war since 2021, making communication and assessment difficult.
A resident in Yangon described the quake as strong and sudden, saying, “We felt it for about a minute and ran out of the building.” Similar scenes unfolded in Bangkok, Thailand, where a CNN journalist witnessed people evacuating as light fixtures swung.
Tremors were also felt in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and even in China’s Yunnan and Shaanxi provinces, according to social media reports.
