Before dawn, Asia was shaken to its core. At 3:42 a.m. local time, a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the border region between China’s Yunnan Province and northern Myanmar, sending shockwaves across mountains, cities, and villages. Within minutes, neighborhoods crumbled, communication lines went silent, and millions were jolted awake in terror.
The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the quake hit at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers, making the destruction far more severe. Residents described the earth heaving violently, entire buildings swaying, and streets splitting open. Windows shattered, walls collapsed, and families ran into the night with only seconds to spare.
Southern China bore the brunt. In Yunnan, emergency lines were immediately overwhelmed. Apartment blocks toppled in older towns, hospitals braced for mass casualties, and officials warned that the number of injuries and deaths would rise as rescuers reached inaccessible areas.
Across the border, Myanmar faced chaos. Rural communities already limited by infrastructure saw homes collapse, bridges crack, and landslides block critical roads. Families fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Early rescue teams navigated terrain transformed overnight.
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