A devastating earthquake has struck Myanmar, with the death toll surpassing 1,600. Rescue teams continue searching for survivors amidst the destruction, as international aid arrives to support relief efforts.
The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar has now exceeded 1,600, as search and rescue operations continue amid challenging conditions. Aid organizations warn that efforts to reach survivors are being made even more difficult by the ongoing civil conflict in the country, with the true scale of the disaster still emerging.
The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, followed shortly by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The quake caused widespread damage in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, with reports of buildings, religious sites, and main roads either destroyed or severely damaged.
According to Myanmar’s military government, the death toll has risen to 1,644, with 3,408 people injured and 139 still missing. In neighboring Thailand, the capital city of Bangkok also felt the impact, where the collapse of a high-rise under construction claimed six lives and left dozens of workers trapped. Thai authorities have reported 26 injuries and 47 missing individuals.
Amidst the devastation, a glimmer of hope emerged when rescuers pulled a 30-year-old woman, Phyu Lay Khaing, from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Mandalay. She was trapped for 30 hours before being rescued and taken to the hospital, where she was reunited with her husband, Ye Aung. "In the beginning, I didn’t think she would be alive," said Ye Aung, overcome with relief.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with more than 90 people feared to be trapped beneath the remains of the same apartment building. Thai authorities have deployed drones equipped with thermal imaging technology, indicating that at least 15 people may still be alive under the wreckage.
The junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has issued an appeal for international aid, highlighting the severity of the damage and declaring a state of emergency in the six hardest-hit regions. Several countries, including China, Russia, and Malaysia, have responded by dispatching rescue teams and relief supplies
However, the response is complicated by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, which has been ongoing since the military seized power in a coup in 2021. Aid agencies have expressed concerns about delivering relief to affected areas, particularly as the junta has been accused of blocking humanitarian aid in regions where opposition forces are active. The military’s control is limited to just 21% of the country, according to recent estimates, with much of Myanmar’s territory under the control of various armed resistance groups.
The earthquake is the most powerful to hit Myanmar in more than a century, according to US geologists, and its effects were felt as far as Bangkok, hundreds of miles away. There, buildings swayed, and dramatic footage captured rooftop pools spilling over the sides of high-rise apartment buildings. Hospitals, hotels, and other structures were evacuated as a precaution.
In Naypyidaw, Myanmar’s capital, crews have been working to repair roads and restore essential services, with electricity, phone, and internet outages affecting much of the city. The junta has called on citizens to donate blood, as hospitals in the Sagaing and Mandalay regions have been overwhelmed with casualties.
International efforts to assist Myanmar are ramping up, with the United Nations allocating $5 million to kickstart relief operations. China has sent a team of 37 rescuers equipped with drones and other supplies, while Russia has dispatched two planes with 120 rescuers. India has also deployed search-and-rescue personnel along with medical support.
The full extent of the damage is not yet clear, and humanitarian agencies warn that it could take weeks to fully assess the needs on the ground. Michael Dunford, the World Food Programme’s country director, said that the country’s ongoing conflict has already left a third of the population in need of assistance, and that number is expected to rise.
In the midst of this tragedy, Myanmar is once again facing a humanitarian crisis of overwhelming proportions, with rescue teams working tirelessly to save lives as the country grapples with the aftermath of both a natural disaster and an ongoing civil war.
0 Comments