YANGON : A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Wednesday, killing at least one person and damaging pagodas in the ancient city of Bagan, officials said.
The earthquake, which the US Geological Survey said hit at a depth of 84 kilometres, was also felt across neighbouring Thailand, India and Bangladesh, sending panicked residents rushing onto the streets.
At least one man was killed in a Myanmar village near the epicentre, said Han Zaw Win, a local MP from Magway region where the quake struck.
“A 22 year-old man was killed when a nearby building collapsed during the earthquake,” he told AFP, adding that a woman was injured.
A tourist police officer reported damage to several temples in Bagan — Myanmar’s prized ancient capital, some 30 km north of the epicentre.
“Some famous pagodas were damaged during the earthquake,” he told AFP, adding that some of the damage was “serious”.