Earthquake damage at 14 Thai hospitals

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14 Thai hospitals report quake damage

Most damage minor, but services suspended at two sites pending further investigations

November 17, 2023

Fourteen Thai hospitals — 13 in the North and one in the Northeast — have been damaged by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in neighbouring Myanmar on Friday morning, with services at two hospitals partially suspended, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said.

According to reports sent to the ministry, affected were 11 hospitals in Chiang Rai and two in Chiang Mai in the North, and one hospital in Sakon Nakhon province in the Northeast.

In Chiang Rai, the hospitals affected were Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital in Muang district, Mae Lao Hospital, Somdej Phra Yayasangwon Hospital in Wiang Chai, Mae Chan Hospital, Phan Hospital, Chiang Khong Crown Prince Hospital, Chiang Saen Hospital, Phaya Mengrai Hospital, Doi Luang Hospital, Mae Fa Luang Hospital and Mae Sai Hospital.

Cracks were found in hospital buildings but their main structures were not affected by the quake, which was felt in many locations in the North and Northeast.

Staff and patients at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital reported feeling the tremor for about five seconds.

At Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital, medical services at the paediatrics building were suspended and the patients transferred to another building. A thorough examination of the hospital for potential damage was being conducted.

In Chiang Mai, cracks were found on buildings of San Sai Hospital in San Sai district and Chiang Dao Hospital in Chiang Dao district.

In the northeastern province of Sakon Nakhon, cracks were found on the ninth floor of the emergency ward. The entire building was sealed off for examination and services for outpatients suspended.

In San Sai district of Chiang Mai, a building at Ban Pa Kang School in tambon San Pa Pao that had been temporarily closed following an earlier earthquake on Nov 9 was found to have sustained further damage.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... ake-damage
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Tremors Felt in Northern Thailand and Bangkok After Earthquake Reports in Myanmar

By Goongnang Suksawat

17 November, 2023

The Meteorological Department has reported an earthquake at 8.37AM with an epicenter in Myanmar. The earthquake’s coordinates are 21.189°N latitude and 99.344°E longitude. Myanmar Worker Injured in Scaffold Fall After 6.4 Magnitude Shan State Earthquake.
An earthquake occurred this morning at 08:37 AM in Shan State, Myanmar, approximately 100 kilometers north of Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai.

The earthquake was felt throughout the northern region of Thailand. In Mae Sai District, which experienced significant tremors due to its proximity to Shan State, construction workers were onsite at the Mae Sai District Office working on a One-Stop Service (OSS) building.

It registered a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale and had a depth of 9 kilometers. The epicenter is located approximately 100 kilometers northwest of Mae Sai district in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province. Residents in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Nan, and even the capital, Bangkok, reportedly felt the quake.

During the earthquake, a 31-year-old Myanmar national named Yahui, working on the third floor of the scaffolding near the second floor of the building, fell and suffered a broken left arm and serious injuries. Rescue teams and Mae Sai officials quickly transported him to Mae Sai Hospital. The building was deemed safe after an initial assessment.



Chiang Rai Governor Phuttiphong Sirimat later inspected the damage at Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital in the capital district. The hospital’s new five-story extension, located at the junction of the old and new buildings, sustained visible vertical crack damage from the outside.

The Governor ordered related officials to urgently inspect the damage, as the building is heavily used by patients, doctors, nurses, and staff. Other locations, such as Mae Sai Hospital, also experienced minor damage. Authorities across various areas are conducting surveys for further repairs.

The province’s City Planning Department stated that the initial inspection of Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital revealed plaster peeling at the junction of the two buildings. The buildings, designed to withstand earthquakes of up to 6-8 on the Richter scale, did not suffer structural damage and remain operational. However, there is concern for residential buildings not built to earthquake-resistant standards, prompting officials to conduct thorough inspections.

Following the initial quake, at least 3-4 aftershocks were recorded: at 08:42 AM with a magnitude of 4.1, at 08:46 AM with a magnitude of 3.5, at 08:48 AM with a magnitude of 3.4, and at 09:06 AM with a magnitude of 3.4, respectively.

Story, photo, and graphic: https://tpnnational.com/2023/11/17/trem ... n-myanmar/