Earlier today southern Asia felt a gargantuan shake from below. A 7.7 Earthquake rang out from the center of Myanmar. The details are still being kept tightly under wraps from the military-state Government.
The time was approximately 2:20am EST, or 1:20pm local Myanmar time. The first tremor erupted near Mandalay, a central city around 170 miles north of the Capital Naypyidaw.
The quake emerged out of the Sagaing fault line, which marks the divider between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Unknown Damage
An aftershock rang out nearly 15 minutes later. The follow-up was another bed-rocking 6.7 on the Richter scale.
For any who aren’t exactly aware of what a 6.7 or 7.7 mean, the damage increases fairly steeply. For context, in 2020 a Salt Lake City, Utah earthquake was measured at 5.7, and caused over $600 million in damage. Due to the topography of Salt Lake City, there were thankfully no deaths.
The 2010 Haiti earthquake registered a 7.0 and is know to have caused the deaths of upwards of 300 thousand people. It is also recorded as having approximately $8 Billion in damage.
At this time, the full impact in south Asia isn’t precisely known. There are reports of dozens of buildings, some dams, and bridges being felled in Myanmar. Thailand reporting similar, though significantly fewer destructions.
Local televised reports have expressed that over 140 people have been confirmed dead. With hundreds more injured, and the search and rescue efforts continuing, the total affected will likely increase.
Reports out of Thailand confirm at first count more than 10 deaths, over 100 missing, and conflicting reports of the number of injured. There could be as many as 500 injured in the fray.
Some less deadly, but more alarming reports have come directly from Bangkok, over 600 miles from ground zero. Due to the large population that reside in high-rise apartment buildings, the nearly 18 million people currently residing in the Thai capital faced universal terror.
Bangkok is a city with a population density of around 3,500 people per sq km, or over 9,000 people per sq mile. Pack all those people into a 500ft tall condo high-rise, and add one blended earth frappe. Pants were soiled. Tears were shed. New glassware all around.
Damage Could Affect Thousands.
Mohammed Riyas, regional director of the International Rescue Committee spread his concerns publicly.
“The impact of the earthquake in Myanmar is likely to be severe, with possibly thousands of displaced people in need of urgent shelter, food and medical aid. We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake, as communication network lines are down and transport is disrupted,” he said.
“The damage to infrastructure and homes, loss of life, and injuries sustained by communities affected should not be underestimated.”
The loss of life not withstanding, this devastating earthquake continues to cause further strife. Mudslides, collapses, floods, and the instability of all the modern qualities of life we enjoy. Not having food, water, electricity, heat, or a solid roof over your head is never fun.
The cost of this disaster isn’t currently known, but it has been estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars across the entire affected area.
Humanitarian Aid Comes For Locals
Myanmar’s ruling military general, Min Aung Hlaing, requested “any country” to help where they could. He has opened international routes for assistance, requesting anyone willing and able to give aid to local people.
President Donald Trump has offered American aid, saying “It’s a real bad one, and we will be helping.”
Representatives from the Indian government as well as ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have also volunteered assistance.
China’s foreign ministry commented they were willing to provide emergency support to the earthquake affected area. Their statement says China will “help people there carry out disaster relief and rescue and pull through this trying time.”
The United Nations‘ emergency relief fund has allocated $5 million towards relief efforts.
“The earthquake will compound an already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, where nearly 20 million people need assistance across the country, including more than 3.5 million people displaced from their homes,” UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said earlier today.
Landscape Difficulties
Myanmar has been in the midst of a civil war for the past few years, even prior to the earthquake, causing difficulty with their approach.
Additionally, the Red Cross is relaying that power lines are down in the region, giving further roadblocks to lending aid.
“Initial reports from the ground suggest the earthquake has caused significant damage,” the Red Cross said. “Information on humanitarian needs is still being gathered.”
The earthquake was felt in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in China and caused injuries and damage to houses on the border with northern Myanmar, according to Chinese media reports.
The shaking in Mangshi, a Chinese city about 380 kilometers (235 miles) northeast of Mandalay, was so strong that people couldn’t stand, one resident commented.
Thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by this natural disaster. Please donate money or blood to the Red Cross if possible.
