People flee high-rise buildings in Bangkok as Myanmar quake tremors felt

Many office workers in high-rise buildings in Bangkok and Nonthaburi province rushed into the streets after they felt their buildings shake this morning (Monday).

One netizen tweeted that he was on the 13th floor of a building in the Lat Phrao area when he saw ceiling lamps swaying and felt dizzy.

Another said that she dared not re-enter their building, after she and her colleagues ran out.

The Meteorological Department said in a statement this morning that a 6 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 8.40am, with its epicentre located about 10km under the sea near the southern coast of Myanmar, at latitude 15.266 degrees north and longitude 96.488 degrees east and about 289km southwest of Phob Phra district of Tak province.

The effects of the quake were felt in Bangkok and Nonthaburi province, said the department, adding that the event was on the Sagaing fault, which stretches from 1,000km offshore in the Andaman Sea and passes through central Myanmar.

A quake on January 12th, 2018 was measured at 5.9 in central Myanmar, about 223km to southwest of Mueang district of Mae Hong Son province. The effects were also felt in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The 2012, the Shwebo earthquake was the most recent event on the Sagaing Fault. It had a moment magnitude of 6.8 and ruptured the fault north of Mandalay.