7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Thailand, Myanmar; Death Toll Surpasses 144

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, on Friday, resulting in over 144 confirmed deaths and hundreds injured across Myanmar and Thailand. The tremor caused a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok to collapse, with at least three fatalities reported from the site and many others trapped. Eyewitness accounts describe panic as people fled from the scene, while social media footage captured chaotic escapes. A tourist from New Hampshire, Kristy Lacroix, experienced the quake while returning to her hotel and reported that it was intense but her hotel remained unharmed. Rescue efforts in Thailand are complicated by the instability of the collapsed building, with rescue teams working to locate remaining victims. The earthquake's impact is expected to escalate as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.