Chiang Rai, March 25 (Agencies): At least 75 people were killed in the strong earthquake that struck Myanmar, officials said, while another quake hit northern Thailand on Friday, inflicting limited damage. Thursday's 6.8 magnitude earthquake caused panic in several Southeast Asian countries, but the worst hit was Myanmar, where the death toll was expected to rise slightly.
A Myanmar official said 74 people were killed and 110 were injured in five areas close to the epicentre. More than 240 buildings had collapsed.
"We are trying to reach the remote areas," the official said. "The military, police and local authorities are trying to find some people injured in those affected areas but the roads are still closed." Officials in northern Thailand were assessing whether Friday's quake, of an estimated magnitude of 5.5, had caused any additional damage.
The initial quake was felt in the capital cities of Thailand and Myanmar and as far away as Vietnam, where people in tall buildings were evacuated. It was 6.2 miles below the surface but caused only slight damage on the Thai side. The town of Tachilek in Myanmar was badly hit by Thursday's quake. People fled their homes, parked motorcycles tumbled to the ground and cracks were seen in the roads.
"We were extremely frightened to enter the house since there were several strong aftershocks," a local teacher said by telephone. "Some people are haunted by what they saw on TV about the recent earthquake in Japan."
Several earthquakes of magnitudes 5 to as high as 7 have hit northern Myanmar and Thailand in the past 15 years, but damage and casualties have been limited. Thursday's quake was centred 111 km (69 miles) north of Chiang Rai in a sparsely populated, hilly area. It forms part of the "Golden Triangle”, a place where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet and which is infamous for the cultivation of illicit opium.
In Chiang Rai, Thailand's northernmost province which borders Myanmar, little damage was seen. The spires of several Buddhist pagodas were bent, some tiles were smashed and a few cracks were seen on the ground close to a hotel.
A Myanmar official said 74 people were killed and 110 were injured in five areas close to the epicentre. More than 240 buildings had collapsed.
"We are trying to reach the remote areas," the official said. "The military, police and local authorities are trying to find some people injured in those affected areas but the roads are still closed." Officials in northern Thailand were assessing whether Friday's quake, of an estimated magnitude of 5.5, had caused any additional damage.
The initial quake was felt in the capital cities of Thailand and Myanmar and as far away as Vietnam, where people in tall buildings were evacuated. It was 6.2 miles below the surface but caused only slight damage on the Thai side. The town of Tachilek in Myanmar was badly hit by Thursday's quake. People fled their homes, parked motorcycles tumbled to the ground and cracks were seen in the roads.
"We were extremely frightened to enter the house since there were several strong aftershocks," a local teacher said by telephone. "Some people are haunted by what they saw on TV about the recent earthquake in Japan."
Several earthquakes of magnitudes 5 to as high as 7 have hit northern Myanmar and Thailand in the past 15 years, but damage and casualties have been limited. Thursday's quake was centred 111 km (69 miles) north of Chiang Rai in a sparsely populated, hilly area. It forms part of the "Golden Triangle”, a place where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet and which is infamous for the cultivation of illicit opium.
In Chiang Rai, Thailand's northernmost province which borders Myanmar, little damage was seen. The spires of several Buddhist pagodas were bent, some tiles were smashed and a few cracks were seen on the ground close to a hotel.
