Over 700 people are reported dead after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay in Myanmar and rocked neighboring Thailand. The quake was the largest to hit Myanmar in more than a century. The US Geological Survey estimated that the death toll could top 10,000.

The powerful earthquake struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge, and a dam. At least 694 people were killed in Myanmar, where photos and videos from two cities showed widespread damage. In Thailand, at least ten people died in the capital, where a high-rise building under construction collapsed.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7, with its epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. A strong aftershock of 6.4 magnitude followed. The full extent of casualties and destruction was not immediately clear, especially in Myanmar, one of the world’s poorest countries, where information is tightly controlled and the country is engaged in a civil war.

Myanmar’s giant neighbors China and India have sent teams to help with rescue efforts. A Chinese team was the first international rescue group to arrive in the country Saturday morning, according to state media, while India’s external affairs minister said New Delhi has sent a rescue and medical team along with urgent humanitarian aid.

Searching rubble in Bangkok

The quake triggered the collapse of buildings hundreds of miles away. At least 10 people have died in the Thai capital, with authorities racing to free more than 100 others believed to be trapped under the rubble of an under-construction high-rise.

Challenges to disaster response

Myanmar, one of Asia’s poorest nations, is reeling from a civil war sparked by a 2021 military coup. Weak infrastructure makes it ill-equipped to deal with major natural disasters. Aid groups said communications blackouts and damaged roads are making it challenging to reach people who need help. (Pieced together from reports by CNN and Times of India)