A Thai woman miraculously gave birth to a healthy baby girl in the streets of Bangkok Friday as the buildings around her shook from the devastating earthquake that killed over 1,600 — a count expected to climb much higher.
Dramatic photos capture the moment doctors surrounded Kanthong Saenmuangshin, 36, for the adrenaline-pumping delivery after they were evacuated from the city’s hospital.
The little girl emerged screaming as frightened locals ran to safety and emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
The baby’s birth was triggered by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake. Police General Hospital/ReutersSaenmuangshin had gone to Police General Hospital for a routine check-up but went into early labor when the 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar and rocked neighboring Thailand.
The new mother’s water broke as she rushed down five flights of stairs, igniting fears she was going to give birth on the stairway as the walls trembled — and potentially caved.
“I was telling my baby, don’t come out yet,” Saenmuangshin told Reuters Saturday.
“Then I was put on a hospital bed and was surrounded by a lot of medical staff where I just gave birth right then and there. It was all a shock to me too.”
Kanthong Saenmuangshin feared she was going to give birth on the stairs as she evacuated the hospital. Police General Hospital/Reuters
The newborn hasn’t been named yet, though her parents nicknamed her “Mink.” Police General Hospital/Reuters
Doctors helped the new mom deliver in the street. Police General Hospital/ReutersBy the time Saenmuangshin’s daughter was born, the ground had stopped shaking.
The little girl does not yet have a name, but Saenmuangshin and her husband have affectionately called her “Mink” — and have no plans to give her any names related to the devastating earthquake.
At least 1,644 were killed in the Friday disaster, which toppled dozens of buildings, buckled bridges and even burst a dam.
At least 1,664 people have been killed throughout Myanmar. Getty ImagesOfficials warn the death toll will continue to rise as rescue teams scour the rubble for survivors.
Although the extent of death and destruction is still yet to be seen, the US Geological Survey (USGS) issued a red alert — estimating that the total number of deaths could reach as high as 10,000.
At least 139 are still missing, and the total number of injured stands at 3,408.
In Bangkok, at least 10 people were killed and another 100 trapped inside collapsed buildings.
Police General Hospital, where Saenmuangshin evacuated during the quake, seemingly survived.
