Earthquake today: Quake of magnitude 7.2 hits Myanmar; tremors felt in China, Thailand

A strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar on Friday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The tremor hit 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing at a depth of 10 kilometres around 12:50 pm local time (0620 GMT), USGS said.

Also Read: Earthquake today: Magnitude 6.8 quake rocks New Zealand’s Riverton coast

Witnesses in Bangkok said people ran out onto the streets in panic and water splashed out of swimming pools.

Watch videos:

Earthquake today: What did witnesses say?

A witness in the city told Reuters, "We all ran out of the house as everything started shaking. I saw a five-storey building collapse right in front of my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road, and no one dares to go back inside buildings."

Witnesses in Yangon reported that many people fled buildings in the city, the largest in Myanmar.

Also Read: Earthquake today: 1.8-magnitude earthquake strikes New Jersey in US, no damages

In Bangkok, witnesses described scenes of panic as people rushed out into the streets, with many hotel guests still in bathrobes and swimming costumes, Reuters reported.

One office tower in downtown Bangkok swayed from side to side for at least two minutes, with doors and windows creaking loudly, according to witnesses. Hundreds of employees evacuated via emergency stairs, while some shocked workers froze in place. Loud shrieks could be heard as the building continued to move.

Strong earthquake rocks Thai capital of Bangkok

The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ Center for Geosciences reported that a midday earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with its epicenter located in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary findings, AFP reported.

Also Read: Earthquake today: 3.5 magnitude earthquake hits MP’s Singrauli

Moreover, tremors were also felt in China's southwest Yunnan province, according to Beijing's quake agency, which said the jolt measured 7.9 in magnitude.

The greater Bangkok area, home to over 17 million people, includes many high-rise apartments. As the earthquake hit around 1:30 p.m., alarms sounded in buildings, prompting startled residents to evacuate through staircases in high-rise condominiums and hotels in the densely populated central area. People gathered in the streets, seeking shade from the midday sun in the moments following the quake.

An under-construction building in Thailand collapsed due to the strong tremors.

"I heard it and I was sleeping in the house, I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building," Duangjai, a resident of popular tourist city Chiang Mai, told AFP after tremors were felt across northern and central Thailand, as reported by AFP.

How common are earthquakes in Myanmar?

Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the centre of the country, according to the USGS.

Also Read: Earthquake today: 6.1 magnitude quake jolts Nepal’s Kathmandu, 4 injured; tremors felt in Bihar

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination.

The impoverished Southeast Asian nation has a strained medical system, especially in its rural states.

Watch pictures here:

An officer from the Myanmar Fire Services Department told Reuters: “We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet.”

(With inputs from agencies)