Southeast Asia Earthquake. March 28th, 2025

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake caused destruction across Southeast Asia, most notably Mandalay, Myanmar as the country’s second largest city was the epicentre. Bangkok, Thailand would also see destruction, along with multiple provinces in China having recorded the earthquake. The scale of destruction in the city of Mandalay is unknown at this time aside from at least 144 deceased and an estimated 730 injured, with casualties expected to rise.

According to geological surveys conducted by both the Untied States and Germany’s center for geosciences declared that the depth of the earthquake is estimated to be a rather shallow 9.5km. Myanmar’s military government heavily monitors media in the war torn country, constricting the flow of information. The earthquake occurred at 1:30pm local time, (11:30pm Thursday Pacific time) the city would then be hit a second time by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock occurring 12 minutes after the initial quake, only causing more destruction and chaos.

Mandalay is nearly 600km away from Bangkok, although the city would still feel the effects strongly as represented in many videos surfacing of a residential tower that was under construction collapsing in which, 50 were injured and one is deceased. Overall, There is said to be 9 confirmed dead in the Thai capital, along with 110 pinned under rubble or missing. Both countries scramble to scrape together enough emergency services to tend to those in need. Thai officials have paused major public transportation, allowing it to be inspected by structural engineers before it is deemed safe to operate again.

Rescue teams and emergency services in Myanmar are experiencing troubles conducting their operations as the poor infrastructure of the country’s roads is making navigation from one site of destruction to the next very hard. Another key factor adding to the difficulty, is that many communication lines have been sabotaged by the government in order to disrupt paramilitary and other rebel groups beforehand.

Waves of injured continue to arrive at nearby hospitals in Myanmar that unfortunately, lack the both the facilities and resources to treat the wounded. Photographs of wounded laying down on the sidewalk using unfolded cardboard boxes as a bedspread. Casualties in both countries are expected to be on the rise as time is running out for those waiting for rescue. A state of emergency has been declared in 6 regions and states throughout Myanmar, as well as in Bangkok. Burmese government officials asked for international aid in a press conference that took place on Thursday evening.

Update- 4:36pm PST.

Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the State Department said that the United States has kept “A team of disaster experts with the capacity to respond if disaster strikes.” These teams are better known as DART. Bruce would also add at 2:47pm:

These expert teams provide immediate assistance, including food and safe drinking water needed during the aftermath of a disaster. The United States is evaluating the need for assistance based on requests and dynamic reporting.

It is now reported that 8 lives have been claimed by the collapse of the skyscraper in Bangkok. Reports from emergency services in Myanmar are now resorting to desperate measures, one man has put together a rescue team of ordinary citizens and told BBC that they are in dire need of the appropriate equipment and machinery.

We are digging people out with our bare hands. It is not enough to get the bodies and people who are trapped in the rubble.

The unnamed man would later add:

“People are screaming: ‘Help me! Help me!’ I feel so hopeless.”

*Jacob Newson 2025

Resources.

ABC News, ABC News Network, abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/myanmar-thailand-bangkok-earthquake/?id=120257120. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

“Business News.” The Economic Times, m.economictimes.com/news/international/global-trends/myanmar-earthquake-emergency-declared-in-bangkok-thailands-stock-exchange-suspends-trading/amp_articleshow/119643737.cms. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

“Deadly Earthquakes Hit Myanmar and Thailand, Toppling Bangkok Skyscraper under Construction.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 28 Mar. 2025, www.cbsnews.com/news/earthquake-bangkok-thailand-myanmar-strong/.