Indian tourists cut short trips, return amid Bangkok earthquake scare

Kolkata: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.2 magnitude struck Myanmar on Friday, causing structural damage and widespread panic. The tremors were also felt in Thailand, leading to evacuations and disruptions in public transport.

Indian tourists, who form a significant portion of visitors to Thailand, began returning home as the impact of the quake created uncertainty. On Friday night, several passengers arrived back in Kolkata from Bangkok, sharing their experiences of the earthquake.

Eyewitness accounts of the tremors

Ranjan Banerjee, a passenger returning from Bangkok, described the immediate response to the earthquake.

"The situation is normal right now, but when it happened, there was an emergency situation. Malls and offices were evacuated. The Metro rail system was shut," he said.

Another passenger, Safdar, recalled seeing high-rise buildings sway under the force of the tremors and water spilling from an infinity pool.

"I was on the road at that time. I saw some skyscrapers shaking. There was water coming out of an infinity pool. People were scared that the building might collapse, but nothing like that happened. Public transport was shut for some hours," he told ANI.

Panic among residents and tourists

Sanjiv Dutta, who was also in Bangkok when the earthquake struck, shared his frightening experience.

"My bed started shaking when the earthquake took place. After I woke up, I saw that the building was shaking. Later, I saw people running in panic. I came to the ground floor from the seventh floor and waited there for some time. There was huge traffic. It took 5-6 hours to cover 30 kilometres," he recounted.

The earthquake caused temporary shutdowns of transport systems, including metro rail services, while authorities assessed the situation. Despite initial fears, there were no immediate reports of severe damage or casualties in Thailand.

Authorities continue to monitor the aftermath of the quake as travellers adjust their plans in response to the disruption.

ANI