Undated photo shows a rescue boat working near a damaged bridge in the Kyauk Myaung township, east of Shwebo in the Sagaing region in central Myanmar following the 6.8-magnitude quake, which hit some 116 kilometers (72 miles) north of the northern Myanmar
At least 12 people have been killed and dozens others injured after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, residents and aid workers say.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit at 7:42 a.m. local time (0112 GMT) on Sunday at a depth of just nine kilometers.
The epicenter of the quake was located 117 kilometers (72 miles) north of the country's second-largest city, Mandalay, the USGS said.
The agency also reported that another temblor with a magnitude of 5.8 shook the same region late Sunday, but there were no initial reports of new damage or casualties.
The USGS said that a 5.6-magnitude quake also struck in the early hours of Monday. The epicenter, with a depth of 10 kilometers (more than six miles), was initially located at 23.2077 degrees north latitude and 95.9815 degrees east longitude.
Following the first earthquake, four people died when a bridge under construction across the Irrawaddy River collapsed east of the town of Shwebo.
The collapse of a monastery in the nearby village of Kyauk Myaung also left two people dead.
Six others died in the Sint Ku township, including two who died after a goldmine cave-in.
"I've never felt such a strong tremor. I also heard some loud noises and the light went out. No idea about the damage," a local resident said.
Quakes at shallow depths create intense shaking and can cause great damage.
In March 2011, over 70 people were killed and dozens others injured when a 6.8-magnitude quake struck Myanmar near its borders with Thailand and Laos.
MR/HN
