State of Emergency: Powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hits Myanmar

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar at 12:51 PM local time on March 28, with its epicenter located about 20 kilometers northeast of Mandalay. It was described as a shallow earthquake of 10 kilometers deep and it caused quite substantial damage, followed by at least three small aftershocks.

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, together with concerned officials visited the Nay Pyi Taw 1,000 bed hospital where the earthquake survivors gathered in the compound, and provided necessary assistance. Because of the tremors, roads were buckled and chunks fell from the ceilings of buildings. These tremors also felt across the region in China and Thailand.

The National Disaster Management Committee (NDMC) has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas, including Sagaing Region, Mandalay Region, Magway Region, Shan State (Northeast), Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory and Bago Region. The government is making strenuous efforts to promptly assess the damage and conduct relief operations while ensuring the provision of necessary disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. 

The public are urged to stay updated on timely information released by the Disaster Management Committee and remain cautious of possible rumors and cooperate with the authorities in disaster response efforts.