Myanmar earthquake: Water tank collapses in China's Yunnan
What's the story
A 7.7-magnitude quake rocked Myanmar on Friday, killing over 1,000 people and causing widespread destruction. Tremors were felt in neighboring countries: China, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of India. One rooftop water tank in Ruili City of China's Yunnan province was damaged during the quake. However, no major casualties or extensive damage have been reported from the region. Videos emerged online of water gushing down streets and sweeping away people, though the authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified.
Eye-witness accounts
Local residents recount the earthquake experience
Ge Zhaolan, a 45-year-old mall merchant in Ruili City, shared his experience with China Daily. He felt a mild shake at first, then a strong tremor that shook the building. The rooftop water tank on the 30th floor of his building developed a large leak in the meantime. "I was hit by the water too, but it was not as terrifying as the video showed," he recounted.
Twitter Post
Purported video of event
Affected by the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck #Myanmar at 2:20 p.m. Friday, a rooftop water tank in Ruili, Yunnan province, was damaged during an #earthquake, sending water gushing down like a waterfall. pic.twitter.com/2LxA8NEdJt
— China News 中国新闻网 (@Echinanews) March 28, 2025
Emergency declaration
Myanmar's military-run government declares state of emergency
Following the disaster, Myanmar's military-run government declared a state of emergency in six regions and states, including Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. According to USGS, the quake's epicenter was near Mandalay at a depth of 10km, and it struck at 12:50pm local time (0620 GMT). A strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed soon after, further contributing to the widespread destruction across Myanmar and affecting its neighboring countries.
Relief efforts hindered
Red Cross faces challenges in disaster response
The Red Cross said downed power lines in Myanmar are hampering their teams' access to Mandalay and Sagaing regions, and southern Shan state. In Bangkok, a construction worker was killed when debris from a collapsing building site fell on his truck. City hall has declared the city a disaster area to ease interagency aid and emergency assistance amid the chaos caused by the earthquake.
International response
UN allocates emergency relief fund
The UN has set up a $5 million emergency relief fund for the earthquake victims. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric announced that the fund was set up as international and local UN staff are busy assessing humanitarian needs, damage to infrastructure, and the number of people affected by the massive quake. This comes as part of global efforts to provide aid and support to those impacted by this devastating disaster.