On March 28, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, causing intense shaking in high-rise buildings in the Thai capital of Bangkok. The tremors lasted for several minutes, prompting a large number of people to flee buildings and seek refuge in the streets or parks. Chinese students studying in Bangkok shared their harrowing experiences of escaping the earthquake, with one student named Zhang describing his moment of despair while evacuating.
Zhang recounted being on the 30th floor of an apartment when the earthquake hit, causing the entire building to sway violently. Overwhelmed by panic, he decided to evacuate immediately, even running barefoot without time to put on his slippers. With elevators out of service due to the earthquake, Zhang had to descend the building on foot. He witnessed many people in the hallways struggling, some unable to walk and others sitting on the ground, crying.
Feeling hopeless as he descended, reaching the 24th floor, Zhang wondered why he hadn’t reached the ground yet. His first instinct was to call his family, preparing to leave his final words. Finally reaching the ground, his legs gave out, and he nearly collapsed.
A Chinese resident in Chiang Mai, known as Xiao Jiu, described the terrifying experience. He was preparing to take a shower in the bathroom when he felt the ceiling shake. Initially thinking it was due to low blood sugar, he soon realized the entire building was swaying, filled with screams. Xiao Jiu recalled feeling immense fear as the earthquake tremors were too powerful. Opening the door on the ground floor, he struggled to maintain balance, unable to open the door accurately due to the instability.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on March 28, the 7.7 magnitude earthquake originated in the central Sagaing region of Myanmar, with a depth of 10 kilometers. The earthquake also affected neighboring regions in Thailand and Yunnan, China. The latest data released by the Bangkok city government on the evening of the 28th reported 10 deaths and 16 injuries in Bangkok due to the earthquake in central Myanmar. Currently, 101 people remain missing.