Yangon/Bangkok  – A powerful  earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand  early Saturday morning  , triggering panic among the population, mass evacuations and fears of possible aftershocks or tsunamis.

According to preliminary data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located in a mountainous area in eastern  Burma , near the border with Thailand, at a depth of approximately  10 kilometers , which increases its destructive potential.

The earthquake was  felt with great intensity  in several major cities such as  Yangon, Chiang Mai and Bangkok , where many residents ran out of their homes in the midst of the tremor.

Images shared on social media show cracked streets, homes with structural damage, and people in shock. In some regions, transportation services and school classes have been temporarily suspended. Read more below