Yangon/Bangkok – A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday morning in Southeast Asia, rattling parts of Myanmar (formerly Burma) and northern Thailand. The quake sparked widespread panic, forced mass evacuations, and raised concerns about potential aftershocks or tsunamis.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake’s epicenter was located in a mountainous region of eastern Myanmar, near the Thai border, at a shallow depth of around 6 miles (10 kilometers)—a factor that can significantly increase the severity of ground shaking.

Strong tremors were felt across several major cities, including Yangon, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok, where frightened residents fled their homes during the quake.