Moderate Quake Off Myanmar Sends Tremors Across Thailand

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, May 18 (Bernama) -- A 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck in the sea off Myanmar at 9.05 am today, with tremors felt in several parts of Thailand, including Bangkok, according to Thai authorities on Monday.

Thailand’s Meteorological Department reported that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres beneath the sea.

“It was classified as a moderate earthquake, with the epicentre located near the southern coast of Myanmar, approximately 247 kilometres south-west of Mae Sot district in Tak province, western Thailand,” the department said in a statement.

Thailand’s Earthquake Observation Division said the quake occurred at 9.05 am local time, with tremors felt by residents in high-rise buildings in Bangkok’s Bang Rak, Lak Si, Pathum Wan and Sathon districts, as well as at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration office and other locations.

Thai local media also reported that residents in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Lampang and Nonthaburi submitted about 40 reports to the division, stating that they felt the tremors and experienced brief episodes of nausea.

Most of the reports came from people in buildings in Bangkok.

The Department of Mineral Resources attributed the earthquake to movement along the Sagaing Fault in the Andaman Sea.

On March 28 last year, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, triggering tremors measuring 6.4 in magnitude in several parts of Thailand.

The tremors caused the collapse of a construction site for the new State Audit Office headquarters in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, trapping about 90 construction workers beneath the debris.

-- BERNAMA