A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit central Myanmar (formerly Burma) Friday (March 28), shaking Mandalay, the country's second-largest city, as well as nearby countries, including China and Thailand, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

A major earthquake in Myanmar on Friday has caused more than 1,600 deaths and led to the collapse of numerous structures. Even though the south-east Asian nation is a high risk region for earthquakes, neighbouring Thailand and China - which were also affected by the quake - are not.

Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar. The reason is that the country sits on the Sagaing Fault, a major north-south fault that separates the India plate and the Sunda plate.

Early Friday, a major 7.7 magnitude earthquake that originated near Mandalay, Myanmar, shook the Earth as far as Bangkok, about 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) away. Two hard-hit cities in Myanmar suffered extensive damage,

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of Southeast Asia on Friday, flattening skyscrapers and leaving more than 1,000 people dead from Myanmar to Thailand.

Photos show the aftermath of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that caused devastation in Southeast Asia including Bangkok, Thailand, and Myanmar.