A strong earthquake that toppled homes in northeastern Burma has killed more than 40 people, and there are fears today the toll would mount as conditions in more remote areas became known.
Last night’s quake, measured at a magnitude 6.8 by the US Geological Survey, was centred just north of the town Tachileik in the mountains along the Thai border, but it was felt hundreds of miles away in the Thai capital Bangkok and Vietnamese capital Hanoi.
Burma state radio announced today that 41 people had been killed and 48 injured in the quake. It said 244 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings were damaged.
Earlier, a local administration official said 63 people were killed, with 40 injured.
A series of aftershocks have caused panic but only limited damage from Thailand to Laos. The quake was centred 111km north of the Thai town of Chiang Rai. One person was confirmed dead in Thailand.
Agencies