Maldives says Maldivians in earthquake-hit Bangkok fine

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives has announced that it is monitoring the situation in Thailand and Myanmar following strong earthquakes in the two countries.

The ministry is working through the Embassy of Maldives in Thailand to ensure the safety and security of Maldivians residing there.

"So far, the Maldivians are in good condition. We are also working through diplomatic channels to find out if there are any Maldivian citizens in Myanmar at the moment," the ministry stated.

Both Thailand and Myanmar have declared a state of emergency in response to the disaster. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Maldivians in these countries to follow the instructions issued by the relevant local authorities.

The ministry has provided contact details for those who require assistance or further information. Maldivians in Thailand who need support are advised to contact the hotline number of the Embassy of Maldives in Thailand or the hotline number of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Maldivians currently in Myanmar who require assistance have also been urged to reach out through the provided contact numbers.

A powerful earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday, killing several people, bringing down a skyscraper under construction in Bangkok and toppling buildings and bridges in neighbouring Myanmar, where the ruling junta declared a state of emergency in some areas.

At least three people were killed in the town of Taungoo in Myanmar when a mosque partially collapsed, witnesses said, while local media reported that at least two people died and 20 were injured after a hotel collapsed in Aung Ban.

In Thailand, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said there had been three deaths from the quake. He warned of possible aftershocks but urged people to be calm and said the situation was largely under control.

At least one person was killed and dozens of workers were rescued from under the rubble of the skyscraper that had been under construction in Bangkok, Thailand's National Institute of Emergency Medicine said.

People ran out onto the streets of the Thai capital in panic, many of them hotel guests in bathrobes and swimming costumes as water cascaded down from an elevated pool at a luxury hotel, witnesses said.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake, which struck at lunchtime, was of 7.7 magnitude and at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The epicentre was about 17.2 km from the Myanmar city of Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.5 million.

The quake was followed by a powerful aftershock and several more moderate ones.