2 days ago
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Bangkok/New Delhi:
When the ground began to tremble violently beneath his feet, Prem Kishore Mohanty from India was sitting in the auditorium of his daughter's school in Thailand's Bangkok. It was supposed to be a routine sports day event - children competing, parents cheering - until the tremors hit.
"I felt my head spinning, and I had to sit down. I could see the overhead lights swaying, and the chairs moving," Mr Mohanty, 44, told NDTV. "Then the school PA system kicked in, ordering everyone to run towards the outdoor field. We were told to avoid the lane next to the school that was surrounded by high-rise towers. The water from the swimming pools in these buildings started cascading down the sides like waterfalls."
READ | 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Myanmar, Strong Tremors In Bangkok, 20 Dead
Videos have surfaced showing water from swimming pools on the upper floors of the InterContinental Bangkok, a plush hotel in the city, falling off the edges because of the tremors.
Earthquake sum up 3pm (Mynamar/Thailand)
- 7.7 quake hit near Mandalay/Myanmar
- Hundreds of homes collapsed (various Myanmar cities)
- Strong shocks in Thailand + multiple building collapse in Bangkok
- USGS predicts thousands of people dead
(Bangkok clips from social media:) pic.twitter.com/kJodTn6BIg
'Scary And Confusing'
The earthquake, measured at 7.7 magnitude, had its epicentre in Myanmar but sent powerful tremors across the border into Thailand. Bangkok was abruptly halted. Public transport was suspended, traffic snarled across major arteries, and people gathered outside buildings, waiting for the all-clear.
Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, a city more accustomed to heat and monsoons than seismic activity. For Mr Mohanty and his family, 5-year-old daughter and 42-year-old wife who are residents of Sukhumvit in central Bangkok, the initial moments were marked by confusion.
"It was scary and confusing. The initial feeling was one of shock. But we are doing fine now," Mr Mohanty told NDTV.
READ | Panic In Myanmar, Bangkok As Buildings Collapse, Airport Damaged In Quake
The Mohantys live in an apartment tower. The evacuation from their building was sudden, with little time to prepare. "People were told to use the fire escape stairwell and wait outside the buildings," he said.
The impact of the earthquake was uneven.
"The low-rise buildings were not affected that much, but yes, there has been some effect on high-rise ones. On the higher floors, some people are saying that their belongings fell out of cupboards and pipelines have burst," Mr Mohanty told NDTV. "We have been told to watch out for aftershocks."
After an inspection from local officials, Mr Mohanty and his family managed to enter their house. Although the building has not sustained heavy damage, there is a crack on Mr Mohanty's wall.
Photo Credit: NDTV
"My neighbour on the 22nd floor is a retired German man who ran out with just his pet cat after his bed moved from one side of the room to another. He ran all the way down the stairs and did not stop till he reached the lobby. We have a lot of Japanese expats in the lower Sukhumvit area, and even they have not seen such a big quake in their lives," Mr Mohanty added.
City Brought To A Standstill
A 30-storey skyscraper under construction for government offices collapsed in the north of the city, trapping 43 workers beneath a tangle of rubble and twisted metal.
Despite the shock of such a rare event, Bangkok was not entirely unprepared. Earthquake protocols, established after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami tragedy, remain in place.
"Such a big earthquake is rare in Bangkok, and coming on a busy Friday afternoon, it brought the city to a standstill. Public transport is currently suspended. Traffic is blocked all around. People are still outside buildings waiting for a green signal," Mr Mohanty told NDTV.
People gather outside on the streets in Sukhumvit.
Photo Credit: NDTV
The tremors led to the suspension of Bangkok's metro and light rail services. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared a state of emergency, interrupting an official visit to Phuket to hold an "urgent meeting" on the crisis.
Even outside Thailand, the quake's reach was felt. China's southwest Yunnan province reported tremors of 7.9 magnitude, according to Beijing's quake agency. The tremors were felt in parts of eastern India as well.
Myanmar is no stranger to earthquakes. Between 1930 and 1956, six earthquakes of 7.0 magnitude or higher struck near the Sagaing Fault, a major geological fault running through the country.
