13 killed in strong Myanmar quake

The shallow 6.8-magnitude quake struck in a rural area 116 kilometres north of Mandalay and was followed by strong aftershocks, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Four labourers flung into the Irrawaddy river from a partly-built bridge near the town of Shwebo, north of Mandalay and nearer to the epicentre of the quake, were among those believed to have died, according to a situation report from Save the Children.

The collapse of a monastery in the nearby village of Kyauk Myaung killed two people and one died in Mandalay, it said. A further six were killed in Sint Ku township, including two people who died when a gold mine collapsed.

“People everywhere are very worried that another earthquake might strike,” the aid organisation said

Residents of Mandalay fled shaking buildings in terror, although no major damage was reported there.