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Journalism of Courage
Social media has been dominated by devastating videos of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday. Tremors were felt in nearby countries, including Thailand and Vietnam. A video, in particular, showing a couple relaxing in the swimming pool of a skyscraper hotel and rushing to safety during the earthquake is stirring up attention on the Internet.
The now-viral footage captures a couple resting on a floating bed in the swimming pool while a man chills on a sunlounger. In the blink of an eye, the pool water begins to shake violently, splashing outside and washing away all the floating beds from the roof. Meanwhile, the guests, including the couple, panic and run towards the exit.
“Bangkok Before & After Earthquake 7.1,” the caption read.
Watch here:
The video amassed numerous reactions by social media users, with one commenting, “Thankfully, there was no kids in the pool.” Another user wrote, “Omg the couple was 30 seconds from dying, fortunately they left quickly.”
“This is so scary,” a third user said.
In Bangkok, a high-rise building collapsed due to the earthquake, prompting hundreds of people to rush out of the building. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake’s epicenter was located around 17.2 km from Mandalay, a city with a population of approximately 1.2 million. The USGS reported that the quake struck at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
Meanwhile, the death toll in Myanmar has now reached 1,644, according to Reuters, citing AFP and local sources. The quake has also left over 3,400 people injured, as reported by AFP based on the junta’s statement. At least 139 people are still missing.
Rescue operations in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city near the quake’s epicenter, have been interrupted by power outages, with many people still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, Al Jazeera reported.
