A search for survivors is underway following a massive earthquake that struck parts of Southeast Asia
According to the Associated Press, the 7.7 magnitude quake was epicentered near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city.
The earthquake struck at midday, and was followed by a magnitude 6.4 aftershock.
Figures from the U.S. Geological Survey show the quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
Officials with the USGS say the depth of an earthquake is a factor in the strength of shaking on the surface.
“The strength of shaking from an earthquake diminishes with increasing distance from the earthquake’s source, so the strength of shaking at the surface from an earthquake that occurs at 500 km deep is considerably less than if the same earthquake had occurred at 20 km depth officials wrote
According to the Associated Press, military government officials in Myanmar say at least 144 people are dead, and more than 730 people are hurt.
“The death toll and injuries are expected to rise,” Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said.
Reports from Singapore-based news outlet CNA state that a state of emergency has been declared across the worst-affected regions of the country, and that the devastation prompted the country’s military junta to make a request for international aid.
The report also states that the country has lost parts of its territory to armed groups. In January 2025, the AP reported that violent suppression of public protests following a 2021 coup triggered an armed resistance that has led to a civil war.
Per a 2024 report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 3.3 million people are displaced in the country since the coup, and over half of the population is living below the poverty line due to violence.
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