Fear, chaos as rare quake grinds Thailand's capital to a halt

Pasit Kongkunakornkul - Reuters - 28/03
Bangkok ground to a halt on Friday after a strong earthquake shook the clogged Thai capital, causing chaos and triggering city-wide evacuations that left many thousands of people stranded for much of the day.
  • Earthquake in Myanmar causes tremors in Bangkok
  • Traffic grinds to a halt, many people evacuated
  • At least nine killed in Bangkok and many missing
BANGKOK, March 28 (Reuters) - Bangkok ground to a halt on Friday after a strong earthquake shook the clogged Thai capital, causing chaos and triggering city-wide evacuations that left many thousands of people stranded for much of the day.
All urban rail systems were suspended and roads were gridlocked across one of Asia's biggest cities after the quake in neighbouring Myanmar caused tremors up to a magnitude of 7.1 in Bangkok, about 1,020 km (635 miles) from the epicentre.

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The quake killed nine people in Bangkok, including eight labourers who died after the collapse of a 33-storey building that was under construction. Rescuers with dogs searched for signs of life, with more than 100 missing at the site, authorities said.
Foreign tourists, some shirtless, in bathrobes or swim shorts, had to leave their hotels and mingled with throngs of office workers evacuated from high-rise towers in Bangkok's commercial districts, many in shock at a rare quake that caused some skyscrapers to sway for minutes.
Huge crowds gathered outside plush hotels, offices and malls, and were shepherded away from tall buildings by security personnel. Many were directed towards the sprawling Lumpini Park after warnings of aftershocks, 11 of which struck...
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