Trump announces that US will send aid to Burma after the earthquake

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will send aid to Burma after the earthquake that struck the country and other Southeast Asian nations. So far, at least 144 people lost their lives and dozens of people were trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings.

"We will help. It's terrible what's happening," Trump told reporters, in statements picked up by AFP, without yet specifying the type of assistance the U.S. will send to the affected areas.

Earthquake in Burma

At around 12:50 p.m. local time, an earthquake with epicenter about 25 miles from the town of Sagaing caused panic in Burma. Quickly, the government activated its emergency protocol and deployed units throughout the territory.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) notified that the quake had a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter scale. Minutes later, an aftershock of 6.4 was recorded a few miles from the epicenter.

The strength of the quake acted made it felt thousands of miles away. In Bangkok, Thailand, it spread fear and even a building under construction collapsed, leaving several workers trapped in the rubble.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called an "emergency meeting" on Friday to assess the damage and establish an immediate emergency protocol for action in case of any more tremors in the country.

In China, the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) also reported that the earthquake was felt in Yunnan province.

The first official report details that 144 people died in Burma as a result of the violent earthquake that shook the country on Friday, without ruling out more victims. It also caused widespread destruction throughout the country.