At least 2,700 people have died after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday.
The quake caused widespread devastation in central Myanmar, toppling buildings, collapsing bridges, and fracturing roads. Tremors were felt as far away as Bangkok, more than 820 miles from the epicenter.
Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, confirmed that 2,719 people have died, over 4,500 were injured, and 440 remain missing.
With its epicenter near Mandalay, this earthquake is the second most powerful in Myanmar’s history, surpassed only by an 8.0-magnitude quake recorded in 1912.
The earthquake left many areas without power or cell service, making it difficult to fully assess the damage. Authorities expect the death toll to rise as rescue efforts continue.
So far, most reports have come from Mandalay. According to the Myanmar Fire Department, 403 people have been rescued, while 259 bodies have been recovered in the area.
Among the victims were 50 Buddhist monks who perished when their monastery collapsed during a religious exam. More than 150 others are believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Extensive Structural Damage
The World Health Organization reported that over 10,000 buildings have either collapsed or sustained severe damage.
The powerful quake was also felt in Thailand, where it caused an under-construction high-rise to collapse, trapping many construction workers.
On Monday, two bodies were pulled from the rubble, followed by another on Tuesday. Dozens remain unaccounted for.
In total, 21 people were killed in Bangkok, most of them at the construction site, while 34 others were injured.
Relief Efforts Have Been Slow
Foreign aid workers have arrived in Myanmar to assist with rescue efforts, but progress has been slow due to a lack of heavy machinery in many areas.
In Naypyitaw, rescue workers formed a human chain, passing chunks of concrete and brick by hand to clear debris from a collapsed building.
According to a local newspaper, a Chinese rescue team pulled four people, including a 5-year-old child and a pregnant woman, from the rubble of an apartment building after they had been trapped for more than 60 hours.
Two teenagers from the same building managed to escape on their own, using their cellphones as makeshift flashlights to navigate through the wreckage.
Rescue teams from Russia, the United Arab Emirates, India, and several Southeast Asian countries have also arrived at the scene.
A small U.S. assessment team has arrived as well, but due to recent cuts to the foreign aid budget, the extent of their response remains uncertain.
Several countries have pledged millions in aid to support rescue efforts in Myanmar.
Even before the earthquake, more than 3 million people had been displaced by the country’s ongoing civil war. Many were already struggling with limited access to basic healthcare.
The quake has raised the risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowded shelters and poor sanitation.
