What We Know About Myanmar’s Deadliest Earthquake in Decades
On Friday, March 28, 2025, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked central Myanmar, striking near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time. This seismic event, one of the most significant to hit the region in over a decade, unleashed widespread destruction and triggered an aftershock of 6.4 magnitude just 11 minutes later.
A Far-Reaching Tremor
The earthquake’s force was felt across a vast swath of the region, shaking communities far beyond Myanmar’s borders. In Thailand, more than 600 miles away in Bangkok, high-rise buildings swayed, and water sloshed out of rooftop pools. The temblor’s reach extended to Bangladesh, Vietnam, and southern China, where minor injuries were reported in the border city of Ruili. This broad impact underscores Myanmar’s position in one of the world’s most seismically active zones, a volatile crossroads of tectonic plates that has produced destructive quakes in the past, including a 6.8-magnitude event in 2011 that claimed over 70 lives.
The Devastating Impact
The toll of this disaster is already staggering, though exact numbers remain elusive. In Myanmar, at least 20 people have been confirmed dead, with countless others injured. Mandalay General Hospital, the city’s primary medical facility, was overwhelmed as bleeding victims arrived in droves—by ambulance, car, and motorbike. Patients, some still connected to IV drips and oxygen, spilled into a nearby parking lot after fleeing the damaged building.
In Thailand, the quake claimed at least three lives when a 30-story skyscraper under construction in Bangkok crumpled, trapping dozens of people. Myanmar’s military government has declared a state of emergency across six regions—Sagaing, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Bago, Magway, and Northeastern Shan State—highlighting the scale of the crisis.
However the full scale of damage and fatalities remains unclear, particurlarly due to the Myanmar’s ongoing internet censorship. The military junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has a history of throttling online access to suppress dissent. These restrictions, combined with widespread power outages and downed communication lines, have shrouded the disaster in uncertainty, making it difficult for humanitarian groups to gather accurate data or coordinate relief.
Also Read: What We Know About China’s Earthquake That Killed 95 People
Scenes of Chaos on Social Media
Despite the digital blackout in Myanmar, glimpses of the catastrophe have surfaced online, particularly from Thailand. Verified footage circulating on platforms like X shows the dramatic collapse of the Bangkok skyscraper. Other videos capture water surging from hotel pools atop high-rises. These images, while limited, offer a stark window into the chaos unleashed by an event centered hundreds of miles away in Mandalay.
Myanmar’s military spokesman, Gen. Zaw Min Tun, acknowledged the overwhelming challenge ahead.
“We need and want the international community to provide humanitarian aid,” he said. “We will cooperate with them to ensure the best care for the victims.” This appeal, directed at a world that has largely isolated the junta with sanctions, suggests that the death toll and destruction could climb far higher as more reports trickle in from the hardest-hit areas.
