A 30-storey skyscraper under construction for government offices collapsed in Bangkok on Friday, March 28, after the city was struck by a powerful earthquake.
Located in the northern part of the Thai capital, the building was reduced to a pile of rubble and twisted metal within seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which originated in Myanmar. The tremor hit northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar, on Friday afternoon at a shallow depth, according to the United States Geological Survey. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed shortly after.
Thailand’s Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai reported that 90 people are missing and three are confirmed dead at the site. While no further details were provided on the ongoing rescue efforts, first responders have reported rescuing seven people so far from outside the collapsed building.
The building’s collapse occurred suddenly, with the earthquake causing a crane to topple from the roof and sending a massive cloud of dust into the air.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared a state of emergency in Bangkok. The earthquake also caused damage to buildings and led to the suspension of some metro and light rail services, worsening the city’s notorious traffic congestion.
Tremors from the earthquake were also felt in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, with Beijing’s quake agency reporting that the jolt registered a magnitude of 7.9.
