MANDALAY: A high-rise building in Mandalay Region collapsed due to an aftershock that followed an earlier earthquake on the morning of April 13, the day before the Myanmar New Year (Thingyan).
The incident occurred in the afternoon, following the morning earthquake that struck the city. According to locals, tremors continued throughout the day. “There was another tremor this morning—we heard it was magnitude 5.5. Around 1 p.m., a high-rise building located between 26th and 76th × 77th Streets collapsed forward. The building housed a private medical clinic and health supplies store. It was a four-story structure, and the ground floor was buried. Although the building sustained damage during the initial March quake, it wasn’t this severe until now,” said a resident.
“There were no injuries reported from today’s collapse. People hadn’t returned to the building since the first earthquake. Although there weren’t many people nearby, the surrounding area is no longer safe. Authorities have come to the scene, blocked off roads, and taken preventive measures to ensure no one gets hurt in case of further collapses,” the resident added.
Locals have expressed concern that other earthquake-damaged buildings may also collapse due to continuing aftershocks.
According to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, the April 13 quake occurred at 8:54:59 a.m., centered approximately 9 miles northeast of Wundwin, at a depth of 20 kilometers, with a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. Since the strong earthquake on March 28, a total of 128 aftershocks had been recorded by 9 a.m. on April 13, the department reported. - Eleven Media/ANN
