This is the dramatic moment firefighters rescued a mother and her child alive from a collapsed building after the devastating earthquake in Myanmar.

The rescue team pulled the terrified woman and her baby out of a crumbled hotel in the former capital Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people, on March 31.

Onlookers applauded as the dust-covered woman and her child emerged alive from the rubble and were pulled to safety.

The US Geological Survey said the tremor struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles), and was centred in Myanmar, around 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of Monywa.

Residents ran from their homes when they felt the tremors at around 1:20 pm local time. More than 1,700 people in the country have been killed, and some 4,000, with rescue efforts ongoing.

The quake destroyed buildings, bridges, and dams, leaving many areas in ruins. Communication remains difficult as mobile networks are down, and access to electricity and the internet is limited.

In neighbouring Thailand, high-rise buildings shook and an apartment block under construction collapsed in Bangkok. At least 17 workers were killed.