A recent 7.7-magnitude earthquake has led to the collapse of a skyscraper in Bangkok, leaving numerous construction workers missing. Rescuers have detected signs of life from at least 15 trapped individuals under the rubble, prompting a desperate search effort that is also met with emotional turmoil among the families of the missing.
Rescuers Detect Signs of Life Under Bangkok Skyscraper Rubble After Earthquake
Rescuers Detect Signs of Life Under Bangkok Skyscraper Rubble After Earthquake
Amidst the debris of a collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok, rescue teams are racing against time to locate at least 15 survivors trapped beneath, following a devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar.
At least 15 people are believed to be alive and trapped under the rubble of a 30-storey skyscraper that collapsed in Bangkok, triggered by a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand. The disaster has left scores of construction workers missing and has prompted an intensive rescue operation, which has entered its second day.
Rescue teams, equipped with drones, sniffer dogs, and excavators, are racing against time to locate those under the debris. Communication has been established with some survivors who have been able to signal their presence, while others have been located through movements and detected body heat.
As countless homes and buildings have been destroyed in Myanmar's Saigaing region and Mandalay, the death toll reportedly exceeds 1,000, with more than 2,376 injured. In Bangkok, the tremors caused buildings to sway, prompting reports of over 2,000 instances of structural damage. However, the city has largely avoided severe destruction apart from the unfinished skyscraper, which has now been reduced to a chaotic heap of twisted metal and concrete.
Among the 400 workers at the construction site, at least 96 are reported missing, with eight confirmed dead and several others injured. Many of those affected are believed to be Burmese migrant workers in Thailand's construction sector.
Efforts to rescue those trapped have been complicated by the building's precarious condition, described by officials as collapsing "like a pancake." They are refraining from using heavy machinery in an attempt to safely extract survivors without further debris collapse. As the rescue operations continue, anxious families gather at the site, sharing their pain and hope in search of news for their loved ones.
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnweerakul reassured the public of the government's commitment to the rescue, stating, "We work tirelessly... We will keep working until there is no one left inside."
