More than 1,600 dead and 20 million affected by the earthquake in Myanmar.

BarcelonaA 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, according to US emergency services. Authorities in the country, a military junta that has been waging a civil war since its coup d'état four years ago, has not reported any damage or injuries. But the earthquake was even heard in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, where hundreds of people fled buildings amid panic, according to Reuters. A building under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, leaving 43 workers trapped in the rubble.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that the quake measured 7.7 magnitude and originated at a depth of 10 km (6 miles). The epicenter was about 17.2 km (10.6 miles) from the city of Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.2 million, according to the same survey. Several buildings have collapsed in that city, according to Reuters.

In Bangkok, a 30-story skyscraper under construction for government offices also collapsed, trapping at least 43 workers, according to police and medical services. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the building in the north of the Thai capital was reduced to a shell of rubble and twisted metal in a matter of seconds. Images also show workers fleeing the building in terror, but others are believed to be trapped.

Witness accounts in Bangkok say people have run into the streets in panic and water has gushed out of swimming pools.

But despite the lack of information from Myanmar authorities, the worst damage is in that country. A Myanmar Fire Department official told Reuters: "We have started searching and have gone to Yangon to check for casualties and damage. At the moment, we still have no information."

Social media posts from Mandalay, Myanmar's former royal capital, show collapsed buildings and debris strewn across the city streets. "We ran out of our homes when everything started shaking. I witnessed a five-story building collapse right in front of my eyes. Everyone in my city is on the streets, and no one dares to go back inside the buildings," one witness from the city told Reuters.

Other witnesses contacted in Yangon reported how many people fled in terror from buildings in the city, the largest in the country.

Also in Bangkok, people ran into the streets, many of them hotel guests wearing bathrobes and swimsuits. An office tower in central Bangkok swayed from side to side for at least two minutes, with doors and windows creaking loudly, witnesses also reported. Hundreds of office workers rushed out via emergency stairs, and loud screams were heard as the building continued to shake. Outside, hundreds of people gathered in the afternoon sun, while medical personnel searched for chairs to seat the elderly and others in shock.

According to China's Xinhua news agency, strong shocks were also felt in some cities in southwestern Yunnan province. Many residents of the provincial capital, Kunming, have taken to the streets after hearing the tremor, but there are no reports of casualties or damage yet.