More than 300 buildings were severely damaged following the earthquake on March 28th, including approximately 150 mosques and pagodas, according to the Myanmar government.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on the afternoon of March 28th, with its epicenter about 20 km from Mandalay, shook the entire region. In Myanmar, roads cracked, ancient pagodas collapsed, bridges broke, and houses were destroyed. In just a few seconds, many residential areas were completely devastated.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stated that the earthquake resulted from the collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The epicenter was about 10 km deep, near Sagaing, and the tremors spread along the axis from Sagaing to Meiktila, about 130 km to the south.
This area has experienced many similar earthquakes. In 2023, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake also occurred on the Sagaing Fault, causing minor damage.
Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, with over 1.7 million residents, suffered severe damage. People lined up to buy gasoline and stockpile food, preparing for several days of power outages. Patients had to lie outside because the city’s main hospital was overwhelmed.
Le Thi Huong Giang, living in Hanoi, who traveled to Myanmar in 2014, said she could only contact one of her many friends in the country. Her friend reported that “hospitals are overwhelmed, there are power outages, water shortages, no internet, the situation is very bad.”
Part of the historic Mandalay Palace was severely damaged. Mandalay Palace, located in the heart of Mandalay, is the last royal palace of Myanmar, built in 1857 under the reign of King Mindon. Although heavily damaged during World War II, the palace was restored in the 1990s and has become a famous tourist attraction.
With its traditional teak wood architecture, large campus, and surrounding ramparts, the palace is a historical symbol of Mandalay, attracting tourists to explore Myanmar’s royal past.
The clock tower at Masoyein Monastery completely collapsed.
Masoyein Monastery is located in Mandalay, about 2 km southwest of Mandalay Palace. It is one of the largest and most influential monasteries in the region, where thousands of monks study and it is a significant Buddhist research center in Myanmar.
Statues lay scattered and broken in the temple courtyard in the capital, Naypyidaw.
In the data released on the morning of March 29th, the Myanmar government reported that more than 3,000 buildings were damaged, including about 150 mosques and pagodas.
Many pagodas were damaged in Naypyidaw. Experts assess that Myanmar is facing many difficulties, especially in the context of the previous four years of continuous civil war.
(According to CNN)