Strong earthquake rocks Thai capital of Bangkok, prompting evacuations from swaying buildings
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
× close
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
A strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked the Thai capital Friday, causing buildings to sway.
The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany's GFZ center for geosciences said the midday temblor was a shallow 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with an epicenter in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary reports.
The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.
Alarms went off in buildings as the earthquake hit around 1:30 p.m., and startled residents were evacuated down staircases of high-rise condominiums and hotels in densely populated central Bangkok.
They remained in the streets, seeking shade from the midday sun in the minutes after the quake.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
× close
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
Residents of a high-rise condo building wait outside after an earthquake in Bangkok, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Christie Hampton
× close
Residents of a high-rise condo building wait outside after an earthquake in Bangkok, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Christie Hampton
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
× close
People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Chutima Lalit
The quake was forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools, some high up in high-rises, as the tremor shook.
The epicenter of the earthquake was in central Myanmar, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of the city of Monywa.
There were no immediate reports of the effect of the earthquake in Myanmar, which is in the middle of a civil war.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's
and .
have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
reputable news agency
proofread
Get Instant Summarized Text (GIST)
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake with a shallow depth of 10 km struck near Monywa, Myanmar, causing significant tremors in Bangkok, Thailand. Buildings swayed, prompting evacuations in the densely populated city. Despite the strong shaking, there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The epicenter was located about 50 km east of Monywa, Myanmar, where the impact remains unclear due to ongoing civil unrest.
This summary was automatically generated using LLM.