Bangkok, 28 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - A strong quake with an epicentre in Myanmar has caused a bridge and buildings to collapse in the south-east Asian country, according to initial reports.

In the inland town of Aung Ban, a hotel collapsed and many people are said to be trapped there, rescue teams reported on social media.

The quake was also felt in Thailand's capital Bangkok as well as in parts of China and India. There were no initial reports of injuries or deaths from those countries.

The earthquake was measured at a magnitude of 7.7 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

It hit around 12:50 pm (0620 GMT).

The quake's epicentre was located about 16 kilometres from the city of Sagaing, in the country's in the north-west, USGS said.

The German Georesearch Institute (GFZ) in Potsdam reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4. It said the earth trembled for several minutes in some places.

A few minutes later, the German researchers also registered another earthquake a little to the south with a magnitude of 6.4.

It said the main quake occurred around 50 kilometres east of Monywa in the centre of the country. Buildings collapsed in the city of Mandalay to the east and an old bridge collapsed in Sagaing. Aung Ban is also close to Mandalay.

In Bangkok, the earth shook for several minutes and people left their homes in panic. In the Silom district in the centre of the capital, thousands of people were on the streets, many running.

Volunteers were also immediately deployed, instructing people to get out into the open and leave the buildings. Patients were brought out of the hospitals onto the streets.

Photo: epa