A tall building under construction in Bangkok collapsed after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake shook Thailand and neighboring Myanmar on Friday afternoon, police said. Possible casualties were not yet known, the Associated Press reports.
Dramatic footage shared on social media showed the multi-story building with a crane on top collapsing, sending a cloud of dust into the atmosphere as people nearby screamed and ran in panic.
Police confirmed they responded to the scene of the incident, which occurred near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market. There were no details on the number of workers at the site at the time of the collapse.
The earthquake was followed by a magnitude 6.4 aftershock, and Bangkok residents evacuated from their buildings were warned to stay outdoors in case of further tremors.
According to the US Geological Survey and the German GFZ Geosciences Center, the earthquake was shallow - at a depth of 10 km - with its epicenter in Myanmar.
The magnitude of the earthquake caused water to leak from rooftop pools in Bangkok's high-rise buildings, and debris fell from many buildings.
Thai Prime Minister Phaetongthain Shinawatra called an emergency meeting to assess the damage and take necessary measures.
Bangkok's population of more than 17 million was severely affected. Many people living in multi-story apartment and office buildings were evacuated via stairwells and then left on the streets, seeking shade from the scorching sun.
Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said the quake was felt in almost all regions of the country.
The epicenter of the quake was located in central Myanmar, about 50 kilometers east of the city of Monywa. In the capital, Naypyitaw, the quake damaged religious temples, some of which collapsed, as well as some homes.
There were no detailed reports of further damage from Myanmar, which is in a state of civil war.