Death toll rises to 42 after quake rocks Myanmar, neighboring countries

[News_Editor]

Death toll rises to 42 after quake rocks Myanmar, neighboring countries

2011-03-25 13:34:58 GMT+7 (ICT)

YANGON, BURMA (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll as a result of a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Myanmar (Burma) and was felt in neighboring countries on Thursday evening has risen to at least 42, officials said on Friday.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake at 8.25 p.m. local time (1355 GMT) was centered near the village of Loi Mwe in Shan state of Myanmar, about 89 kilometers (55 miles) north of Chiang Rai in Thailand and 168 kilometers (104 miles) south-southwest of Yunjinghong in China. It struck about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Myanmar Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH).

The extent of the damage and casualties was still unclear on Friday afternoon, but state-run media reported that at least 41 people had been killed and 48 others had been injured. It said a total of 244 houses, 14 monasteries, and nine government buildings had been destroyed.

In Thailand, where shaking was felt as far away as the capital of Bangkok, local media reported that a 55-year-old person was killed in Chiang Rai when a wall fell over. There were no other reports of casualties from Thailand, although there were unconfirmed reports of damage in the Chiang Rai area.

Residents also felt the earthquake in southern China where shaking lasted for more than a minute, prompting people to flee the buildings they were in. But there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from China, where the China Earthquake Network Center measured the strength of the earthquake at 7.2 on the Richter scale.

In Vietnam, meanwhile, the state-run Viet Nam News agency reported that buildings shook in the capital of Hanoi. It said there were no reports of damage or casualties, but noted that some residents had fled buildings in panic. Shaking was also felt in Laos.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), which measured the earthquake at 6.8 on the Richter scale, estimated that approximately 78,000 people likely perceived severe shaking that could result in heavy damage. It said more than 583,000 others likely felt strong to very strong shaking, while an estimated 14 million people felt light to moderate shaking.

"Significant casualties are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread," the USGS said in an assessment. "Past events with this alert level have required a regional or national level response."

Thursday's earthquake was the first significant earthquake to have hit Myanmar since September 21, 2003 when a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar. The earthquake caused no fatalities, but three temples, a bridge and other structures were damaged in Taungdwingyi. It was also widely felt in Thailand, where minor damage was reported.

But the most devastating earthquake on record to have hit Myanmar happened on May 5, 1930 when a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the country, triggering a tsunami that impacted local coastlines. The ancient seaport and town of Pegu was almost entirely destroyed, killing at least 550 people. It is believed that hundreds more died in other towns.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-03-25