A magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday was strong enough to cause tremors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a phenomenon that can be attributed to the significant reach of powerful earthquakes, according to an expert.

Nguyen Xuan Anh, director of the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, explained in an interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that such earthquakes can propagate to surrounding regions, particularly in areas with tall buildings, making them more sensitive to seismic activity.

“The impact of an earthquake depends on the distance, the type of soil, and the structures in place,” Anh said.

“The quake in Myanmar occurred at a considerable distance, and the effect on Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi was relatively weak.”

The earthquake occurred at approximately 1:20 pm on Friday (Vietnam time), with its epicenter located about 17.2 km from the Myanmar city of Mandalay, at a depth of 10 kilometers. 

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at 7.7 on the Richter scale.

In contrast, Germany’s GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences reported a magnitude of 6.9 in Myanmar and 7.3 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Anh told Tuoi Tre that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3.

Myanmar’s ruling military declared a state of emergency in multiple regions, according to Reuters.

Social media posts showed collapsed buildings and debris strewn across the streets in the city. 

China’s Xinhua news agency said strong tremors were felt in southwestern Yunnan Province, which borders Myanmar, but there were no reports of casualties.

Witnesses contacted in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, told Reuters that many people ran out of buildings.

In Thailand, at least one person was killed and dozens of workers were rescued from under the rubble of a skyscraper that had been under construction in Bangkok.

People ran out onto the streets in the Thai capital in panic during tremors.

The city’s authorities declared the capital a disaster-stricken area, saying they needed to assess and monitor damaged areas, and assist people who might still be at risk.

In Ho Chi Minh City, residents in high-rise buildings across District 1, Phu Nhuan District, and District 11 reported feeling tremors and rushed outside.

In Hanoi, buildings in districts like Bac Tu Liem, Hoang Mai, and Ha Dong also recorded noticeable shaking. 

Luong, a resident on the 16th floor of an apartment building in Hanoi, recalled feeling intense vibrations around 1:20 pm, causing panic among the residents.

“I’ve never experienced an earthquake this strong before,” Luong shared.

“On the 16th floor, it kept swaying. 

“I’m still shaken up.”

Huong Giang, a resident at Garden An Khanh in Hoai Duc District, Hanoi, also described feeling strong shaking for about five minutes, noting how unsettling it was. 

“The furniture in my home was shaking violently,” she said.

The Institute of Earth Sciences has assessed the earthquake’s risk level in Vietnam as zero, meaning it poses no immediate threat. 

However, earthquakes of this magnitude -- between 7.0 and 7.8 -- are considered significant and could cause severe damage if they occur within Vietnam. 

Structures, even those designed to withstand such events, could suffer substantial damage, and the earthquake’s effects could be felt over vast areas. 

In a worst-case scenario, casualties could range from zero to as many as 250,000 people. 

These kinds of powerful earthquakes occur globally about 10-20 times per year.

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