Vietnamese in Myanmar earthquake epicenter: No electricity or water at night, houses cracked and feared to collapse

At noon on March 28, after just a few minutes of sleep, Ms. Chu Nguyet (living in Mandalay, Myanmar) suddenly woke up because she felt her house shaking abnormally.

Lying on the bed, she felt a strong shaking. The tables, chairs, cabinets, beds... all shook violently. In a moment of panic, she tried to rush down to the first floor, but the floor was tilted so she had to squat down, trying to keep her balance.

Vietnamese in Myanmar recount the moment of intense shaking caused by the earthquake (Video: Tran Thanh Cong - Cam Tien).

"At first, I thought the tremors would only last 1-2 seconds like the previous times. Who would have thought the earthquake would last 4-5 minutes. During that time, I just sat still, closed my eyes, and prayed that the ceiling would not collapse," Nguyet shared.

When the shaking subsided and stopped, she rushed downstairs. Many of the walls were peeling off, leaving behind a layer of gray cement. In the kitchen, several glass bottles were shattered.

Outside, neighbors were bustling about, telling each other about the haunting moment they had just experienced. Their faces were still filled with fear after witnessing the powerful earthquake.

"People in Mandalay have experienced earthquakes before, but have never witnessed such intense and prolonged shaking," said Ms. Nguyet.

Furniture in Ms. Nguyet's house was scattered after the shaking (Photo: Character provided).

Hours later, in the sweltering heat of 40 degrees Celsius, many people were still standing on the sidewalks, fearing aftershocks. On the afternoon of March 28 alone, Mandalay suffered eight more aftershocks. Some were fleeting, but some were strong enough to make many people run away in panic.

Ms. Nguyet's family has been living in Myanmar since 2022 and has gotten used to a life without electricity, only receiving 2 hours/day. The couple has to use additional solar power systems or run generators. Fortunately, the area where she lives is well-planned and the houses are sturdy, so there is no significant damage.

Bottles shattered after the earthquake (Photo: Character provided).

On the evening of March 28, Mandalay was plunged into darkness as both electricity and water were cut off. Afraid that their cracked three-story house would collapse, Nguyet’s family had to stay at a friend’s house 1km away. They planned to return home when the aftershocks stopped.

The wall was peeling off in large pieces, with many cracks appearing (Photo: Character provided).

"Up to this point, my family's food and supplies are still sufficient. I'm not worried about a shortage of goods. Because after the earthquake, some stores are still open," Ms. Nguyet informed.

Mandalay has a population of about 1.5 million people. The city is the ancient capital of Myanmar and the country's major Buddhist center. Mandalay was founded in 1857 and is located in central Myanmar, on the east bank of the Ayeyarwady River.

It is known that the Vietnamese community in Mandalay has about 20 people. According to Ms. Nguyet, through understanding the situation, everyone is still safe and sound.

Many Vietnamese people are also participating in relief work in areas severely affected by the earthquake.

Many houses in Mandalay were destroyed (Photo: Character provided).

Myanmar state television MRTV reported that at least 144 people were killed and 732 others injured in the country.

Many houses, bridges, and roads were severely damaged by the earthquake. In particular, there were reports that the air traffic control tower at Naypyidaw airport collapsed. All personnel inside may have been killed.

Rescue teams are still pulling victims from the rubble. Many high-rise buildings are nothing more than piles of concrete.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar at noon on March 28, causing shockwaves in neighboring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and China.

A 30-storey building under construction in Bangkok collapsed after the earthquake.

Many people in central Bangkok have fled from high-rise apartments and hotels. The greater Bangkok area is home to more than 17 million people, many of whom live in high-rise apartments.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has convened an emergency meeting to assess the impact of the earthquake. The Thai prime minister declared Bangkok an "emergency zone" following the earthquake.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/doi-song/nguoi-viet-o-tam-dong-dat-myanmar-dem-khong-dien-nuoc-nha-nut-toac-so-sap-20250328234845182.htm