Foreign ministry said it is closely monitoring the situation in Thailand and Myanmar, and is working through diplomatic channels to determine if any Maldivians are currently in Myanmar. The embassy has confirmed that all Maldivians in Thailand are safe.
The experience of an earthquake is not new to Maldives’ Ambassador to Thailand, Fuad Thaufeeq. Having lived in Japan, where tremors are common, he was accustomed to frequent quakes. However, the force of the earthquake that struck Bangkok this afternoon was far stronger than anything he had experienced before, he said.
“I experienced quite a few earthquakes when I was in Japan, but I have never seen anything like this,” he said, describing the magnitude of the quake that hit Bangkok at 12.30 pm local time.
The quake struck while he was at work at the Maldivian embassy in Thailand. It was 10.30 am in Maldives.
According to the ambassador, while on the 11th floor of the building, he felt as though he was on “a boat rocking in rough seas.”
“I couldn’t even stand on my feet,” he said, speaking of the 7.7 magnitude quake.
As the tremors began, the embassy was immediately evacuated. With the elevators out of order, staff used the stairs to exit. While cracks appeared in the embassy building, no significant damage was reported.
However, the residence of the deputy ambassador was badly damaged, to the extent that it is no longer habitable, Fuad said.
No injuries have been reported among Maldivians in Thailand.
“There are many Maldivians living near the embassy, and all over Bangkok,” he said.
“By Allah’s mercy, there has been no reported injuries or fatalities among Maldivians living here,” he said.
According to embassy records, around 150 Maldivians live in Thailand, but the ambassador estimates the actual number to be twice as high.
“Only those who reside here are registered at the embassy,” he said. “We are still in the process of contacting others to check on their situation.”
A state of emergency has been declared in Thailand and Myanmar following the powerful earthquake. A 30-storey building under construction in northern Bangkok has collapsed, with at least 43 people believed to be trapped under the rubble and three confirmed dead so far, authorities said.
The Maldives foreign ministry said it is closely monitoring the situation in Thailand and Myanmar. The embassy has confirmed that all Maldivians in Thailand are safe. The ministry is also working through diplomatic channels to determine if any Maldivians are currently in Myanmar.
Sign In
