28-3-2025 (BANGKOK) Mandalay and its environs were rocked by a powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale. The tremors, which emanated from a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface, rattled the historic Burmese city of 1.2 million residents.
The reverberations extended well beyond Myanmar’s borders, triggering unprecedented scenes in Thailand’s bustling metropolis of Bangkok. Eyewitnesses described dramatic moments as swimming pools sloshed over their edges, whilst startled office workers hastily evacuated high-rise buildings, flooding into the streets below.
The earthquake’s epicentre was pinpointed merely 17.2 kilometres from Mandalay, a cultural cornerstone of Myanmar. Despite the significant magnitude of the tremor, which struck on Friday, 28th March, initial reports from the United States Geological Survey revealed a concerning proximity to densely populated urban areas.
Whilst the immediate impact on Myanmar’s infrastructure and populace remains unclear, the event’s intensity was sufficient to spark widespread alarm in Bangkok, situated hundreds of kilometres away. The Thai capital experienced remarkable scenes as its residents, unaccustomed to such seismic activity, sought safety in open spaces.
