This is the terrifying moment a tidal wave of water crashes down from a building in China, sweeping away fleeing shoppers as an earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar.

Shocking CCTV footage shows a wall of water, comprising tens of thousands of litres, surging through the streets of Ruili, Yunnan Province, on March 28.

Locals attempting to escape are swept away by the force of the flood as debris and rubble from buildings fall around them.

Within seconds, the deluge subsided, and survivors were seen picking themselves up, soaked to the skin.

It remains unclear how many casualties there are from the flood, which was triggered by a powerful aftershock following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar.

The event struck the Chinese border city around 90 minutes after the first earthquake hit near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. It is believed to have been caused by a ruptured water reservoir torn apart by the quake.

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, along the Sagaing fault.

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.