Myanmar quake: A look at the deadliest seismic disasters in the country

Foreign rescue teams began flying into Myanmar on Saturday to help in the search for survivors from an earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation crippling critical infrastructure amid a grinding civil war.

The death toll in Myanmar had crossed 1,600, the military government said on Saturday, up sharply from initial state media reports of 144 dead on Friday.

At least nine people were killed in neighbouring Thailand, where the 7.7 magnitude quake rattled buildings and brought down a skyscraper under construction in the capital Bangkok, trapping 30 people under debris, with 49 missing.

Here we take a look at the deadliest earthquakes in the country's history:

2025 Sagaing Earthquake

The 2025 earthquake is the deadliest in the country's history, with the death toll having already cross 1,000.

The hypocentre of the earthqauke was located in the border region of Sagaing and Mandalay. Impact of the quake has also been felt in neighbouring Thailand.

2011 Tarlay Earthquake

Around 151 people lost their lives in this 2011 earthquake which read 6.8 on the Richter scale. 18,000 people were affected in total.

While more than 3,000 houses collapsed, severe damage to roads also hindered relief and rescue efforts.

2012 Shwebo Earthquake

An earthquake of 6.8 magnitude in 2012 struck Myanmar's Shwebo region. It was considered the strongest earthquake in the country since 1912.

Many buildings and pagodas collapsed as a result of this earthquake. An under-construction bridge fell into the Irrawaddy river, and some workers went missing.

The official death toll was 26.

The 1930 Bago (Pegu) Earthquake

On May 5, 1930, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck the country's Bago region. At least 550 people died in the disaster.

There have been varied accounts when it comes to death toll due to the 1930 earthquake. While the official account released in the Burma Gazette was 550, the New York Times, in a report dated May 7, 1930 put the death toll at a massive 5,000 to 7,000.

2016 Chauk Earthquake

This 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Chauk region on August 24, 2016. The tremors were also felt in the Indian cities of Patna, Guwahati, and Kolkata. Four people are believed to have died in this earthquake.

(With Reuters inputs)