The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28 has risen to 144 people, with another 732 injured.
This is reported by Reuters and BBC.
Washington analyzed the disaster based on its strength and depth. According to the US Geological Survey and the US Agency for International Development, the earthquake could have claimed thousands of lives and caused significant economic damage. The cities of Sagaing and Meiktila were hit hardest.
"In general, the population of this region lives in buildings that are vulnerable to earthquakes, although there are also stable structures," the expertsʼ conclusions state.
An unfinished skyscraper collapsed in the Thai capital Bangkok due to seismic activity. Eight people were killed, a local official told Reuters. According to rescue workers, more than a hundred people who were at the construction site are still missing. In a village near the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, 20-25 bodies were pulled from the rubble, many of the injured were taken to city and district hospitals.
The epicenter of the earthquake was only 10 kilometers deep, according to the US Geological Survey. Roger Musson, a scientist at the British Geological Survey, said that meant serious damage.
"Shock waves do not dissipate as they travel from the epicenter of an earthquake to the surface. Therefore, the buildings felt the full force of the shaking," the scientist said.
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