At least 144 killed, 732 injured in Myanmar quake

At least 144 people in Myanmar have been killed and 732 injured by a major earthquake that struck the country on Friday, state-run MRTV said on the Telegram messaging app on Friday.

Initial reports on the impact of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake indicate significant damage in the centre of the country, an official from the United Nations Office on Humanitarian Affairs said.

"We are gathering information about the people impacted, infrastructure damage, and immediate humanitarian needs to guide a response," a spokesperson said.

According to the Red Cross, the powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar damaged buildings and public infrastructure and there are concerns for the state of large dams.

Six states and regions are most impacted - particularly in the northwest of the country, the Red Cross said.

"Public infrastructure has been damaged, including roads, bridges and public buildings," Marie Manrique, Program Coordinator for the International Federation of the Red Cross said to reporters in Geneva, via video link from Yangon.

"We currently have concerns for large-scale dams that people are watching to see the conditions of them," she said.

"The bridge that connects Mandalay to Sagaing has collapsed - this will cause logistical issues. Sagaing has the largest number of internally displaced people in the country," Manrique added.