Massive earthquake hits Myanmar, tremors felt in Bangkok

India Today

A powerful earthquake originating in Myanmar caused tremors in Bangkok, resulting in building collapses and widespread panic.

Transcript

00:00So what exactly happened at that moment? Joining me right now live from Bangkok

00:05Journalist for the Thai Inquirer. It's one of the prominent publications there. Eric Parpar is joining me. Eric

00:10Thank you very much for your time. You tell me what was that moment like?

00:15What was happening? What what was the earthquake magnitude like? What were you doing when you realized that there's been a massive earthquake?

00:24Well, I was just

00:25Sitting and working at home normally

00:28At the start, I mean wasn't quite sure what was happening

00:33Such a tremor have not been felt

00:36Rarely been felt in Bangkok and rather rarely at this

00:41magnitude

00:46The lights were shakings and well we

00:50The people in the house were walking around trying to find out what's going on

00:54But that's we're on the ground level at a house

00:57So the the impact does not felt wouldn't be as much as people on high-rises building

01:04there are videos of people have been

01:08evacuating from high-rise people

01:10Watching out there was a huge book fair in

01:14In Bangkok there were a thousand of people of a ten and then there were they have been mass

01:21evacuation happening there

01:25A panic ensues and some people's do remain outside of building in fear of the aftershock

01:33Which occurred but I rarely felt here in Bangkok, so it was a lot of confusion happening

01:39We see these videos coming in Eric of the panic and chaos. It's completely understandable must be a nightmare for the local residents

01:47What's a buildings?

01:48That are collapsing

01:50I we there was this high-rise building from where an Olympic-sized pool that we saw where water was sloshing right out

01:56So I wonder the kind of impact that you are picking on right now about aftermath

02:02casualties damage and more

02:05So for what we can see the department the public

02:10relations department have provide us some

02:14Brief detail, but yes

02:16There was a collapse buildings at Chatuchak area

02:20In Bangkok, it was a 34-story under construction building

02:24Report indicate that at least 42 people have been stuck inside

02:29Other report also pouring in that there could be up to 60 people missing. So in terms of the number, we don't know

02:37Our reporter on the ground have sent us some photos which have indicate fatalities

02:42But we do not know how many number of fatalities at the site

02:47There's have also been a crane collapse in Bangkok area, which is also in the chat area

02:55The crane collapse have confirmed fatality by the police that the crane operator

03:01Unfortunately died from the incident. So that is already one confirmed fatalities in term of other fatalities and injury reports

03:09Still pouring in so we do still do not know the actual number and to the authorities provide them

03:17What do you think possibly was the duration of the earthquake because we are picking up information that it was a twin earthquake

03:24So to say in Myanmar, did you feel that too?

03:27Or perhaps it was just one tremor that in itself was so strong and for how long?

03:33from where I am in Bangkok dominant area the

03:37Tremor was less than a minute

03:40Or a little bit over a minute. There was only one

03:44Tremor felt from where I am, but there have been reported after shocks

03:48And yes, they also report that to earthquake happened there in Myanmar

03:54Have you ever felt anything like this in your life? Have you always lived in Bangkok?

03:58Is this what people are saying that they have felt for the first time?

04:03Most people have never felt this much shake

04:07Before I would say and I live here all my life. So it was the first time I felt

04:14anything like like this

04:16Occurring

04:18My final question would be Bangkok is and Thailand in itself one of the prominent international tourist destinations

04:25Or do you do you see disruptions around you for a while that there would be halt of services?

04:30That could face disruptions as well because India is also watching cautiously. There's any sort of assistance required. What is happening?

04:36There's Indian diaspora there people of Bangkok and Thailand have been so close to India

04:41So what are you picking up about the services right now? Everything must be on hold. I believe

04:46the Skytrain service have been suspended because

04:49the shake of it's a cause of panic for passenger to evacuate the building there have been videos of

04:57You can see that the train were moving violently on the track

05:02so that would have create a lot of

05:06fear and panic of course so that that services has been suspended just for safety as well to check out on the

05:13Structural damage if any so far

05:16We don't hear any report of structural damage for the for the train station, which is still suspended so far

05:23Trading have been halt on the stock exchange of Thailand due to a disruptive of operations

05:30Also some report they

05:38Okay

05:39there's also a crane collapse like I have reported before which have also disrupted the

05:47the expressway in Dindang the

05:50The exit at Dindang which is still temporarily closed you have to people have to remove the breeze

05:57Anything else? Like I said people still

06:00Panic, so they some of them remain outside which have caused

06:03Traffic as well as people are rushing home

06:06especially

06:09After shock after that Eric, I believe after what you felt at that time. What time was it when this happened? I

06:16Think the earthquake happened in Myanmar around 1.30, okay

06:23I

06:24believe from from the initial report

06:27so we didn't felt it until like half an hour later like round two there have been a report of

06:34Aftershock, but where I am I cannot felt it, but I have no idea about

06:40about people in Bangkok

06:43Greater question with you Eric that because India has offered if there's any assistance required

06:49Will be how will have our authorities on standby as well

06:52What do you think possibly if required from another country?

06:56Would be the requirement for Thailand for Bangkok right now in the aftermath of what we have seen

07:03Our authority have been put on alert as well as you have report the prime minister have declared Bangkok as a

07:11Status zone and the Bangkok governor is on site at the collapsed building

07:17So far, I would say everything should resume normal operation, but the extent of the damage we have to see

07:25I think that the best thing to do right now is to keep people calm that that's that

07:31Such situations and we need to provide

07:35Accurate information to avoid misinformation so people can stop

07:40Panicking and then get everything resumed normal operations

07:43So I guess I think the main concern right now is it would be for Myanmar

07:50Which felt most of the impact?

07:53I

07:54Kind of you Eric to even think of another nation right now, of course because that's been the epicenter

07:59I appreciate you joining us. I require the journalist with I enquire and he's telling us all that happened

08:04Remember, this is a neighbor nation and yet there were tremors and impact felt India is watching cautiously Eric

08:10Thank you very much for your time with India today

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