The death toll from a devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand has surpassed 1,600, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped under collapsed buildings. The powerful 7.7-magnitude quake hit central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, followed by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock, causing widespread destruction.
Massive Devastation Across Myanmar
The earthquake caused severe damage across Myanmar, with buildings reduced to rubble, roads buckled, and bridges destroyed. The worst-hit areas include Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, where rescuers are working tirelessly to pull people from the debris.
At least 1,644 people have been confirmed dead in Myanmar, with over 3,400 injured and 139 missing, according to the ruling junta. In Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, at least 10 people have been killed. However, with communication networks down in many areas, the actual death toll is expected to rise significantly.
In Mandalay, rescue workers managed to pull a 30-year-old woman, Phyu Lay Khaing, alive from the ruins of an apartment building. However, many others remain missing. A Red Cross official estimated that over 90 people could still be trapped inside the partially collapsed Sky Villa Condominium.
Min Min Khine, a mother searching for her missing 20-year-old son, expressed her anguish. “We cannot find him yet. I only have this child—I feel so heartbroken,” she said.
Many residents have chosen to sleep in the open, fearing further aftershocks that could bring down already damaged buildings.
Myanmar Declares State of Emergency
This is the most powerful earthquake to hit Myanmar in decades, with tremors felt hundreds of kilometers away in Bangkok. In Mandalay, ancient Buddhist pagodas and monasteries were reduced to rubble. A soldier at a nearby checkpoint reported that one monk was killed and several others were injured.
The damage extends to Mandalay Airport, which could hinder relief efforts in a country already struggling due to a civil war that began after a military coup in 2021. Myanmar’s rescue services and healthcare system have been severely weakened by the ongoing conflict.
In an unusual move, Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing made a rare appeal for international aid, acknowledging the severity of the disaster. Previously, military governments had refused foreign assistance, even in the wake of major natural disasters.
A state of emergency has been declared in six of the worst-affected regions. At a hospital in the capital, Naypyidaw, overwhelmed medics have been forced to treat injured patients outdoors due to overcrowded facilities.
Global Aid Efforts Begin
Countries have started responding to Myanmar’s call for aid. India has already sent an initial shipment of emergency supplies, while China has pledged $13.8 million in assistance and deployed over 80 rescuers. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has also promised support.
Aid agencies warn that Myanmar is ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this scale, as the country was already grappling with food shortages and the displacement of 3.5 million people due to civil war.
Building Collapse in Bangkok
The earthquake’s impact was also felt in Thailand, where a 30-story skyscraper under construction in Bangkok collapsed, killing at least eight people and leaving dozens more trapped under the rubble.
Rescue teams are using sniffer dogs and thermal imaging drones to locate survivors. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt reported that about 30 people have been detected by radar, but 79 remain unaccounted for.
“I can’t describe how I feel—it happened in the blink of an eye,” said Khin Aung, a construction worker who managed to escape. “All my friends and my brother were in the building when it collapsed. I don’t have any words to say.”
Authorities have received over 2,000 reports of structural damage across Bangkok. More than 100 engineers will be deployed to inspect buildings for safety as the city braces for possible aftershocks.
As rescue efforts continue in both Myanmar and Thailand, the full scale of the disaster is still unfolding, with thousands in desperate need of assistance.
