6.8 earthquake shakes central Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar -- A powerful earthquake measuring a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 shook central Myanmar on Wednesday, knocking glasses off tables and sending people running out of buildings in the country's largest city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered about 25 kilometers (15 miles) west of Chauk, an area west of the ancient capital of Bagan. It was located fairly far below the Earth's surface at a depth of about 84 kilometers (52 miles), it said. Deep earthquakes generally cause less surface damage.

Worried residents of Yangon, the country's main city, rushed out of tall buildings, and objects toppled from tables and from Buddhist shrines in homes. However, there were no immediate reports of serious damage in the city.

USGS said some casualties and damage were possible, but the impact was likely to be fairly localized.

The quake was also felt several hundred kilometers (miles) away in Thailand's capital, Bangkok.

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