A magnitude 7.7 and 6.4 earthquakes have struck Myanmar, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), with reports of strong tremors felt in Thailand and elsewhere in the region.

The first tremor hit 16 kilometres (10 miles) northwest of the city of Sagaing at a depth of 10 kilometres at about 12:50 pm local time (06:20 GMT), USGS said.

Meanwhile, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) said the jolt measured magnitude 7.9, according to the Xinhua news agency, with a social media post by CENC saying “tremors were felt in Yunnan”.

There were no immediate reports of the effect of the earthquake in the country, which is in the middle of a civil war.

In neighbouring Thailand’s capital Bangkok, startled residents poured out of high-rise buildings. Witnesses there said the tremors were forceful enough to send water sloshing out of pools.

More to come …