Myanmar Quake Toll Passes 1,000 as Rescuers Dig for Survivors
AFP/APP
Mandalay, Myanmar: The death toll from a massive earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand surpassed 1,000 on Saturday, as rescuers worked tirelessly to search for survivors amid the rubble of collapsed buildings.
The shallow 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar early Friday afternoon, followed shortly by a powerful 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The quake devastated buildings, destroyed bridges, and severely damaged roads across Myanmar, with Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city housing over 1.7 million people, witnessing massive destruction.
“We need aid,” said Thar Aye, 68, a resident of Mandalay. “We don’t have enough of anything.”
At least 1,007 people were reported dead, nearly 2,400 injured, and 30 more missing in Myanmar, according to a statement from the ruling junta. Around 10 more fatalities were confirmed in Bangkok. However, due to significant disruptions in communication, the true scale of the disaster is still emerging, and officials expect the toll to rise further.
In Mandalay, AFP journalists witnessed rescuers pulling a woman alive from the remains of an apartment block where more than 90 people were feared trapped, according to a Red Cross official. Several floors of the Sky Villa Condominium collapsed, pancaking on top of each other.
‘Started Shaking’
Geologists stated that this was the most powerful earthquake Myanmar has experienced in decades. The tremors were so intense that they caused severe structural damage in Bangkok, hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter.
In Mandalay, a centuries-old Buddhist pagoda was reduced to rubble. “It started shaking, then it got serious,” said a soldier stationed at a checkpoint near the site. “The monastery also collapsed. One monk died, and several others were injured. We rescued some people and transported them to the hospital.”
Mandalay Airport officials turned journalists away. “It has been closed since yesterday,” said a security guard. “The ceiling collapsed, but no one was hurt.” Damage to the airport is expected to hinder relief efforts in a country already struggling with a devastated healthcare system and a lack of rescue services due to the ongoing civil war triggered by a military coup in 2021.
Rare Junta Plea for Help
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing made an exceptionally rare appeal for international aid on Friday, indicating the severity of the crisis. Historically, Myanmar’s military governments have resisted foreign assistance, even after major natural disasters.
A state of emergency has been declared across the six worst-affected regions. At a major hospital in Naypyidaw, medical teams were forced to treat patients in open-air facilities due to extensive damage.
International aid has begun arriving, with India sending an initial flight carrying hygiene kits, blankets, food, and other essential supplies to Yangon on Saturday. China has dispatched over 80 rescue personnel and pledged $13.8 million in emergency humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that Myanmar is ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this scale, especially given that 3.5 million people had already been displaced by civil war and were at risk of hunger even before the earthquake struck.
Bangkok Building Collapse
Across the border in Bangkok, rescuers continued working through Saturday night, searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed 30-story skyscraper under construction.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt reported that eight people had been confirmed dead in the building collapse so far, while at least eight others had been rescued. However, 79 individuals remain unaccounted for in the wreckage near the famous Chatuchak weekend market, a popular tourist destination.
“I can’t describe how I feel—it happened in the blink of an eye,” said construction worker Khin Aung. “All my friends and my brother were in the building when it collapsed. I have no words.”
Bangkok authorities confirmed that around 10 people had died across the city, most in the skyscraper collapse. Thermal imaging drones were deployed to detect signs of life, and officials located approximately 30 people using radar. By Saturday evening, diggers were working under floodlights to remove debris, and search-and-rescue dogs had been brought in.
Bangkok’s city government announced plans to deploy over 100 engineers to assess buildings for structural safety after receiving more than 2,000 damage reports.
