submitted by Angelo Cervantes/EBC correspondent in Thailand
(Reuters) – An earthquake of 6 magnitude struck northernThailand on Monday causing some damage to buildings and roads and knocking goods off shelves in shops but there were no immediate reports of any casualties.
The quake struck 17 miles southwest of the town of Chiang Rai, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It was felt in the Thai capital, Bangkok, and in neighboring Myanmar.
“There has been minor damage to buildings in Chiang Rai itself, some shops have goods scattered about and we’re seeing cracks in buildings,” a Chiang Rai police officer told Reuters.
“No injuries have been reported so far but we’re hearing that some provincial roads have sustained some damage with large cracks appearing,” said the officer, who declined to be identified as he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The USGS initially said the quake was of 6.3 magnitude but later downgraded it. It was at the relatively shallow depth of 7.4 km (4.5 miles).
Chiang Rai, in the mountainous north of Thailand, is near the borders of both Myanmar and Laos. The epicenter was in a largely rural area of small villages, farms and forests.