7.0 earthquake hits Myanmar

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 struck Myanmar Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake hit in eastern Myanmar, about 70 miles (110 km) from Chiang Rai, Thailand, the survey reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Earthquakes of that magnitude are capable of causing major damage, especially when they are relatively shallow. The Geological Survey initially said the quake had a depth of 142 miles (230 kilometers), but it later revised its estimate to say the quake was 6 miles (10 kilometers) deep, putting it fairly close to the surface.

A destructive tsunami is not expected, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.  In advice to government agencies, the center said the quake "is located too far inland and too deep inside the earth to generate a tsunami in the Indian Ocean."