Hundreds dead as quake jolts Myanmar, Thailand

A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, killing over 150 people, destroying hundreds of high-rise buildings, and wrecking public infrastructure, said local officials.

- Utkarsh Anand

At least 144 people were killed in Myanmar and 10 in Thai capital Bangkok.

The 7.7 magnitude quake, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock.

The full extent of death, injury and destruction was not immediately clear, particularly in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war with the flow of information tightly controlled.

Senior general Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar's military government, confirmed the toll in a televised speech on Friday evening and said 730 were injured.

"The death toll and injuries are expected to rise," he said.

Myanmar lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active countries, although large and destructive earthquakes have been relatively rare in the Sagaing region.

A US government predictive analysis based on the strength and depth of the earthquake estimated there could be thousands of deaths.

"Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist," the analysis said.