Bangkok: at least 89 fatalities due to the collapse of the Office of the Auditor General building

Following Myanmar’s catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake, the Office of the Auditor General building in Huai Khwang, Bangkok collapsed, resulting in at least 89 fatalities and numerous injuries, while at least 11 people remain missing. Among the teams that arrived at the site were Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams, K9 Search Units, Forensic Experts, Local Police and Law Enforcement, Medical and Emergency Services, Engineering Specialists and Drone Operators.  

The Director of the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, Suriyachai Ruangworrarat, released a statement on May 7 to update the public about the ongoing efforts to find victims from the building collapse. He stated that the rescue efforts are focused on Zones A, B, and D, since officials believe that many victims may still be trapped. It should be noted that Zone B is the primary concern because the K9 search dogs had detected scents indicating the possible presence of survivors. However, the rescue teams faced dangers while working in this area, because of the unstable condition of the building. Therefore, heavy machinery cannot be used directly, instead they are employing excavators in a controlled manner to carefully remove concrete and cut through metal debris.

According to the Director of the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, communication among the rescue teams is crucial as the main goal is to determine the status of all missing people. In addition, he added that if it is needed the search may be extended and he would request additional equipment to avoid any other obstacles at the search effort.