A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, causing panic in Bangkok, Thailand. A high-rise under construction collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers. The Thai Prime Minister declared a state of emergency, and metro services were suspended. Tremors were also felt in China and India, with reports of damage in Myanmar’s Mandalay and Sagaing. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

A powerful earthquake shook the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Friday, causing panic among residents and leading to the collapse of a skyscraper under construction, where at least 43 workers were trapped.

Germany’s GFZ Center for Geosciences reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located in neighboring Myanmar, according to preliminary data. The quake was recorded at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.7, followed by an aftershock of 6.4.

In response to the disaster, the Thai Prime Minister declared a state of emergency in Bangkok.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as people ran out into the streets after feeling the strong tremors. Some reported that water splashed out of swimming pools due to the shaking.

According to the police, a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok collapsed as a result of the earthquake. The Associated Press news agency reported the incident, while the French AFP news agency cited medical sources confirming that 43 workers were trapped in the debris.

The collapsed structure was a 30-story skyscraper intended for government office use in the northern part of Bangkok, AFP stated.

"When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying 'help me,'" Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district, told AFP. "We estimate that hundreds of people are injured, but we are still determining the number of casualties," he added.

As a precaution, some metro and light rail lines in Bangkok were temporarily suspended following the earthquake.

In the northern city of Chiang Mai, the tremors were also felt. "I heard it, and I was sleeping in the house. I ran as far as I could in my pajamas out of the building," said Duangjai, a resident of the popular tourist destination, speaking to AFP.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra interrupted an official visit to the southern island of Phuket to hold an "urgent meeting" regarding the earthquake and its aftermath.

As a result of the quake, the Thai stock exchange announced a complete halt in trading.

The USGS pinpointed the epicenter of the earthquake to be 16 kilometers northwest of the city of Sagaing in Myanmar, occurring at around 12:50 p.m. local time (0620 GMT/UTC).

In Naypyidaw, south of Sagaing, an AFP journalist reported that roads had buckled due to the quake’s force, and parts of ceilings had collapsed from buildings.

Authorities in Myanmar have begun assessing the situation. "We have started the search and are going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet," an officer from the Myanmar Fire Services Department told Reuters. Yangon is located approximately 620 kilometers south of Sagaing.

Unverified social media posts showed images of damage in Mandalay, Myanmar’s ancient royal capital and a significant Buddhist cultural center.

"We all ran out of the house as everything started shaking," a witness in Mandalay told Reuters. "I witnessed a five-story building collapse in front of my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road, and no one dares to go back inside buildings."

Beyond Thailand and Myanmar, the tremors were also felt in China’s southwestern Yunnan province. Beijing’s earthquake monitoring agency recorded the quake’s magnitude at 7.9.

China’s Foreign Ministry stated that it was closely monitoring the situation and reports about the earthquake’s impact.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed readiness to provide assistance to both Myanmar and Thailand in the wake of the disaster.