Today, 28 March 2025, Southeast Asia has been shaken by powerful earthquakes that have caused significant damage and loss of life. Seismographs recorded three tremors in the region, the strongest of which reached a magnitude of 7.7. The epicentre was located near Myanmar’s second largest city, Mandalay, which is home to more than a million people. The earthquakes affected Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, causing chaos and panic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel responded promptly to the situation by publishing hotline numbers for citizens who may be in the disaster area. There is currently no information on the affected Israelis, but the ministry urges anyone who needs help or has information about compatriots in the region to call the numbers:
- Thailand:
+66 92 280 1284
+66 92 260 3307 - Myanmar:
+95 95139373 (for calls from Israel: +972 506203430) - Vietnam and Laos:
+84 903498685
These lines operate around the clock to provide support and coordination in times of crisis.
Destruction in Myanmar and Thailand
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck at around 12:50 local time near Mandalay at a depth of just 10 km. The region was shaken by an aftershock of 6.4 magnitude 12 minutes later. The tremors were felt not only in Myanmar, but also in the Thai capital Bangkok and the Chinese province of Yunnan.
In Mandalay, according to a doctor at the city’s main hospital, quoted by The New York Times, at least 13 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Eyewitnesses reported the collapse of a five-storey building in the city, as well as the destruction of a road bridge over the Irrawaddy River, which fell into the water, raising a cloud of dust, according to CNN. In the Myanmar capital Nay Pyi Taw, debris fell from the ceiling of the National Museum, and visitors panicked and left the building. In Yangon, located 600 km from the epicentre, residents fled their homes en masse due to strong tremors, and mobile communications temporarily disappeared, although it was later restored.
The situation in Bangkok is no less critical. There, a 30-storey unfinished skyscraper collapsed, killing at least three people and leaving dozens trapped in the rubble, according to updated data from The New York Times. One of the dead was found immediately after the collapse, and 50 other people were injured. Thailand’s National Institute of Emergency Medicine (NIEM) reports that rescue efforts are ongoing, as dozens more people may be trapped under the rubble. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtharn Shinawatra declared a state of emergency in Bangkok. The governor of the city, Chadchart Sittipunt, said that numerous buildings were damaged, but the full extent of the damage was still being established. Residents of the capital ran out of high-rise buildings, hotels and offices, and eyewitnesses reported that water in the pools on the roofs of skyscrapers was spilling out due to strong fluctuations.
Other regions
Meanwhile, another earthquake struck Central Asia. A 5.5 magnitude tremor was recorded in Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan. Information on casualties and damage in the region is currently being updated.
