29
Mar
Mar
DEADLY EARTHQUAKE KILLS OVER 1,600 IN MYANMAR, RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE AMID ONGOING CONFLICT
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CapitalTimesNews / 4 weeks
- 0
- 2 min read
A devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake has killed more than 1,600 people in Myanmar and left thousands injured, with rescue teams scrambling to find survivors trapped under collapsed buildings. The quake, which struck on Friday, was also felt in neighboring Thailand and Pakistan, causing additional casualties and destruction. In Myanmar, the hardest-hit country, the death toll has risen to 1,644, with 3,408 injured and 139 still missing, according to the military leadership. Mandalay, the city closest to the epicenter, suffered severe damage, with at least 90 people believed trapped under a collapsed apartment building. Over 1,500 homes have been destroyed in the region. Rescue efforts are underway in both Myanmar and Thailand, where at least 10 people have died, 42 were injured, and 78 remain missing, mostly from a flattened high-rise in Bangkok. A 30-year-old woman, a mother of two, was miraculously pulled alive from the rubble in Myanmar after 30 hours, reuniting with her husband before being taken to hospital. Despite the disaster, Myanmar’s military has continued airstrikes in conflict zones, including near rescue operations. David Eubank of the Free Burma Rangers reported, “Since the earthquake, there’s been three airstrikes in southern Shan state and Kareni last night. So, they are not stopping.” The military, accused of war crimes by the UN, is battling pro-democracy militias amid a nationwide uprising. International aid has begun arriving, with India sending blankets, food, medical supplies, and a search-and-rescue team. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has pledged support for relief efforts. However, survivors face a grim reality, with one Mandalay resident stating, “We have lost everything.” As night falls, rescue teams continue digging through debris, with hopes fading for those still missing. The disaster has compounded suffering in Myanmar, where political turmoil and military aggression persist alongside natural catastrophe.
