28-3-2025 (YANGON) A powerful earthquake rocked central Myanmar earlier today, unleashing tremors that rippled across the region with startling force. The China Earthquake Networks Centre clocked the quake at a formidable 7.9 magnitude, its epicentre lurking 30 kilometres beneath the surface, while Hong Kong’s Observatory pegged it at a slightly lower 7.3. The seismic jolt didn’t spare neighbouring Thailand, where Bangkok bore the brunt of the shockwaves, leaving residents reeling and a chilling scene unfolding at a construction site, where a building crumbled in a heap of dust and debris, as captured in haunting footage shared widely online.
High-rise building collapses due to strong #earthquake in Chatuchak, Bangkok. #แผ่นดินไหว #กรุงเทพมหานคร pic.twitter.com/fiRV6ZIZq2
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) March 28, 2025
In the Thai capital, the ground’s violent shudder sent a wave of panic through the streets. A commuter aboard the BTS Skytrain took to social media to recount the surreal moment when the carriage trembled as if caught in the quake’s grip, with what appeared to be ash drifting through the air.
At the time of the #Earthquake, some people were on the MRT and luckily the swaying moment had already stopped at the station. So, everyone ran out quickly while the station floor was swinging. #Thailand #Bangkok #Myanmar #แผ่นดินไหว pic.twitter.com/1XlClCWkfH
— कृतिका शर्मा (@Kriti_Sanatani) March 28, 2025
Beyond the city’s transport arteries, the chaos was palpable: curtains in a plush Bangkok hotel swayed ominously as diners exchanged uneasy glances, while in homes, wall decorations swung wildly, prompting startled residents to whip out their phones and document the upheaval for the digital world to witness.
🚨 #BREAKING: #Earthquake strikes near #Myanmar–#China border, impacting Ruili city in Yunnan province. Reports of tremors felt strongly, residents urged to stay alert for aftershocks. Relief efforts underway.
Stay safe and follow local updates‼️ 🌏 #earthquake pic.twitter.com/VnU9eMg9o0— Record GBA (@RecordGBA) March 28, 2025
The toll of the disaster is still emerging, but local reports paint a grim picture, with at least 43 people unaccounted for after the construction site collapse. Bystander videos reveal the terrifying speed of the destruction—a towering structure, mid-build, reduced to rubble in mere seconds as the earth convulsed, drawing gawking drivers to a near standstill. Meanwhile, throngs of Bangkok residents spilled onto the streets, seeking refuge and swapping urgent updates as they grappled with the unfolding crisis.
The quake’s reach extended far beyond Myanmar’s borders, with China’s Yunnan province registering noticeable tremors, according to local accounts. Back in the scientific sphere, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) offered its own take, rating the event at 6.9 magnitude and suggesting a shallower origin, just 10 kilometres deep. Whatever the precise figures, the day’s events have left an indelible mark, a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictable might.
