A powerful earthquake that toppled homes in northeastern Burma has killed more than 70 people, and there were fears Friday the toll would mount as conditions in more remote areas became known.

The Thursday night quake, measured at magnitude 6.8 by the U.S. Geological Survey, was centred just north of Tachileik town in Shan State near the Thai border. It was felt hundreds of kilometres away in the Thai capital, Bangkok, and the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi.

State radio in Burma, also known as Myanmar, announced Friday that 73 people had been killed and 111 injured in the quake, but was updating the total frequently. It said 390 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings were damaged. Earlier in the day, news broadcasts had put the death toll at 74. No explanation was given for the decrease.

Significant damage was reported in the villages around Tachileik, including to bridges and roads, which developed massive fissures, complicating relief efforts.

A UN official said a small hospital and bridge were damaged in the nearby town of Tarlay, making it difficult to access the town. The private relief agency World Vision said water tanks and wells were also damaged, making water scarce.

A Thai Buddhist monk inspects a fallen stupa of the Chedi Luang pagoda after the quake, in the Chiang Saen district of Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province. STR/AFP/Getty Images

On the Thai side of the border, one woman was killed in Mae Sai when a wall fell on her, according to Thai police, but damage was otherwise minimal.

The UN official said medicine would be sent to the affected areas as soon as possible along with an assessment team in co-operation with the Myanmar Red Cross Society. He said 95,000 people were estimated to live near the quake's epicentre, but it was unknown how many suffered damage from it.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Burma's government frowns on giving unauthorized information to the media.

Other relief efforts also were gearing up. World Vision said that at the request of the government, it would provide 250 households with basic necessities, such as food and water.

Most of rural Burma, one of Asia's poorest countries, is underdeveloped, with poor communications and other infrastructure, and minimal rescue and relief capacity. The country's military government is also usually reluctant to release information about disasters because it is already sensitive to any criticism.

In 2008, the government delayed reporting on — and asking for help with — devastating Cyclone Nargis, which killed 130,000 people. The junta was widely criticized for what were called inadequate preparations and a slow response to the disaster.

A resident looks into a crevasse in a road in Tarlay on Friday. DVB/Alinyaung/Associated Press

Somchai Hatayatanti, the governor of Thailand's Chiang Rai province, said dozens of people suffered minor injuries on the Thai side of the border. Cracks were found in buildings in downtown Chiang Rai city, about 90 kilometres from the epicentre, including a provincial hospital and city hall. The tops of spires fell from at least two Buddhist temples.

As a precaution for aftershocks, a relief centre was being set up Friday in Mae Sai.

Had to run again

"We are worried that the area might be hit with stronger quakes. There was another quake at 7 a.m. this morning," said Somsri Meethong of the Mae Sai District office, referring to a 4.9 aftershock. "I had to run again like last night. What we have seen on TV about Japan added to our fear."

A woman carries her grandson after an earthquake rattled Hanoi Thursday. The epicentre of the quake was in Burma but was felt in the Vietnam capital where people were evacuated from tall buildings. Kham/Reuters

Two earthquakes were initially reported with a 7.0 magnitude, but the U.S. Geological Survey soon amended its report to confirm one shallow quake, centred 10 kilometres below the surface of the earth.

"Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist," said a report posted on the monitoring agency's website shortly after the quakes. "The predominant vulnerable building types are wood and unreinforced brick masonry construction."

The monitor said 600,000 people would have experienced shaking anywhere from strong to violent and moderate to very heavy damage is expected in homes.

Felt in Hanoi

The agency also noted that the hilly area is prone to landslides when seismic activity occurs.

The USGC report said the nearest populated centre where shaking would have been felt strongly was Mae Sai, with a population of 28,000.

Witnesses also said people were evacuated from Hanoi after tremors hit the Vietnam capital.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the earthquake was located too far inland to generate a destructive wave.

By comparison, the January 2010 earthquake that killed 230,000 people in Haiti was measured at 7.0; two earthquakes rattled Chile in February 2010 measured at 6.8 and 8.8; and the Japan earthquake on March 11 was a 9.0 magnitude event.