Bangkok [Thailand], March 30 (HBTV): Search and rescue operations continue outside JJ Mall Chatuchak in Bangkok on Sunday following the collapse of a 30-storey under-construction building, triggered by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday.

According to CNN, at least 10 people have reportedly lost their lives in Bangkok, which is located about 1,000 kilometres from the earthquake's epicentre. Moreover, more than 100 others are feared to be trapped under the rubble, CNN reported.

In response to the disaster, Thailand has deployed 55 military personnel and six rescue dogs, along with essential equipment such as cranes and diggers, to assist in the ongoing relief efforts in Myanmar, Al Jazeera reported. Thai authorities are actively searching for survivors in the wreckage.

According to CNN, citing Thailand's National Institute for Emergency Medicine, the collapsed building was intended as a space for the State Audit Office. Thai authorities have detected signs of life and continue to search the rubble, while locals distribute food and relief materials to aid victims.

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, addressing an emergency meeting on Friday, said, ‘The country has returned to normalcy,’ noting that only the under-construction tower collapsed, sparing other buildings in Bangkok, as reported by CNN. However, over 2,000 reports of structural cracks have prompted inspections of 700 buildings across the city.

Meanwhile, the official death toll from the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday has surpassed 1,600, The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing the country's military leaders.

According to The New York Times, rescue efforts are ongoing to find survivors amidst the devastation. The rescue teams are facing significant challenges due to downed power lines and damaged infrastructure, while Myanmar’s military regime maintains tight control over information.

The death toll is expected to rise, with preliminary estimates from the US Geological Survey suggesting that it could exceed 10,000, The New York Times reported.

The earthquake has raised concerns about the ability of Myanmar’s military rulers to retain control of the country, which has been embroiled in a civil war since the military coup in 2021, as per The New York Times.

Prior to the disaster, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already facing severe shortages of food and shelter due to the ongoing conflict.

(ANI)