Alex Ritson

Also in this podcast, the US Vice President J.D. Vance is to visit Greenland today, leading a high-level delegation to America's most northerly military base. And refugees fleeing the war in the DRC, the Democratic Republic of Congo, say they don't want to move to a much larger camp in Burundi.

Also in this podcast, the US Vice President J.D. Vance is to visit Greenland today, leading a high-level delegation to America's most northerly military base. And refugees fleeing the war in the DRC, the Democratic Republic of Congo, say they don't want to move to a much larger camp in Burundi.

A powerful earthquake has struck parts of Southeast Asia with its epicenter close to Mandalay in Myanmar. Several buildings are reported to have collapsed and a state of emergency has been declared across large parts of the country. Strong tremors extended into Thailand and Yunnan in southwest China. The US Geological Survey said it had a magnitude of 7.7 and was just 10 kilometers deep.

A powerful earthquake has struck parts of Southeast Asia with its epicenter close to Mandalay in Myanmar. Several buildings are reported to have collapsed and a state of emergency has been declared across large parts of the country. Strong tremors extended into Thailand and Yunnan in southwest China. The US Geological Survey said it had a magnitude of 7.7 and was just 10 kilometers deep.

The military government in Myanmar has requested aid from abroad to help with the rescue operation.

The military government in Myanmar has requested aid from abroad to help with the rescue operation.

The military has asked for international help. That's rare in itself, isn't it?

The military has asked for international help. That's rare in itself, isn't it?

Definitely.

Definitely.

Our former Asia editor, Rebecca Henschke. In Thailand, powerful tremors have caused substantial damage in the capital Bangkok, a thousand kilometers to the south of Mandalay. Rescuers are trying to reach dozens of workers trapped in the rubble of a skyscraper, which collapsed while under construction.

Our former Asia editor, Rebecca Henschke. In Thailand, powerful tremors have caused substantial damage in the capital Bangkok, a thousand kilometers to the south of Mandalay. Rescuers are trying to reach dozens of workers trapped in the rubble of a skyscraper, which collapsed while under construction.

Video footage posted on social media showed the moment the building came down as workers ran for their lives. The authorities in Bangkok have declared the city a disaster area. We too, a reporter for the BBC Vietnamese service living in Bangkok, described how she fled her home after the earthquake struck.

Video footage posted on social media showed the moment the building came down as workers ran for their lives. The authorities in Bangkok have declared the city a disaster area. We too, a reporter for the BBC Vietnamese service living in Bangkok, described how she fled her home after the earthquake struck.

I heard more from Penisa Enoch of the BBC's Thai service.

I heard more from Penisa Enoch of the BBC's Thai service.

I've seen the video of its collapse, which is circulating on the internet. It looks terrifying. And as you say, a lot of people inside.

I've seen the video of its collapse, which is circulating on the internet. It looks terrifying. And as you say, a lot of people inside.

A disaster area.

A disaster area.