Myanmar, Thailand, Bangkok Earthquake Highlights: The death toll in Myanmar has now risen to 1,644, news agency Reuters reported quoting AFP, which cited the country’s junta. The 7.7 magnitude quake, which jolted Myanmar and neighbouring countries on Friday, has left more than 3,400 people injured, AFP said quoting the junta’s statement. At least 139 people remain missing. The rescue efforts in Mandalay — the second largest city in Myanmar which was close to the epicentre of the quake — were hampered due to power outages as several still remain trapped in the debris of buildings, Al Jazeera reported.
What other areas have been hit? Rescue workers are still scrambling to find survivors in Myanmar and in Thailand. The quake had destroyed buildings, downed bridges, and buckled roads across various regions of Myanmar. Rescuers in the Thai capital Bangkok are also fighting through rubble for workers trapped when a 30-storey skyscraper under construction collapsed. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt told AFP that about 10 people had been confirmed killed across the city, most in the skyscraper collapse. But up to 100 workers were still unaccounted for at the building, close to the Chatuchak weekend market that is a magnet for tourists.
Which countries have sent aid? India has sent a search and rescue team and a medical team as well as provisions, while Malaysia’s foreign ministry said the country will send 50 people on Sunday to help identify and provide aid to the worst-hit areas. The United Nations allocated $5 million to start relief efforts. President Donald Trump said Friday that the US was going to help with the response. Russia’s emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the Russian state news agency Tass. China, too, has sent blankets and food for survivors, along with teams of rescuers with drones and other equipment, NYT reported.
The devastating earthquake has claimed over 1,600 lives, with at least five confirmed deaths at the Bangkok skyscraper collapse site.
As rescue teams work around the clock, families anxiously await news of their loved ones, with many still believed to be trapped under the rubble.
Myanmar's anti-coup fighters, the People's Defence Force (PDF), have announced a two-week ceasefire in areas affected by the recent devastating earthquake, allowing for rescue and relief operations to take place.
The PDF will pause offensive operations starting March 30, 2025, while maintaining defensive actions, according to the shadow National Unity Government (NUG).
The NUG, formed by lawmakers ousted in the 2021 coup, has pledged to collaborate with the UN and NGOs to ensure the safety of relief operations and plans to establish temporary medical and rescue camps in regions under its control.
The UK has pledged £10 million in humanitarian aid to support Myanmar's relief efforts following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that has claimed over 1,600 lives.
This funding will be used to provide essential services, including emergency food, water, medicine, and shelter, to those affected in the hardest-hit areas, with UK-funded local partners already mobilizing a humanitarian response on the ground.
The Mandalay General Hospital is overcrowded with victims of the earthquake, as per Al Jazeera, with people being forced to rush to a private hospital or to the nearby town of Pyin Oo Lwin. Mandalay resident Sandar Win spoke to Al Jazeera, sharing that her six-year-old son had to be taken to a private hospital, where he was receving treatment, after being turned away from the government hospital. Ambulances were also seen moving towards Pyin Oo Lwin, located around 64km east of Mandalay.
After Myanmar's military junta provided information on the death toll and injuries in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which struck the country Saturday, the Bangkok officials have now said that at least ten people were confirmed dead in the city, as per BBC. The officials said that 42 people had sustained injuries while 78 remain missing.
A woman was rescued alive from the collapsed apartment block in Myanmar's Mandalay more than a day after the quake of 7.7 magnitude jolted the country, Al Jazeera reported quoting news agency AFP. The woman, rescued from the Sky Villa Condominium, was taken to the hospital for treatment, AFP reported.
The control tower in Myanmar's Nay Pyitaw collapsed in the earthquake on Saturday, Associated Press reported citing satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC. The photos show the tower -- which controlled the air traffic in Myanmar's capital -- toppled over, with its base visible, as per the AP report. While the tower is said to have had some staff members inside it during the time of its collapse, it was not immediately clear whether there had been any injuries in the incident.
Rescue workers on the site of the rubble of a Bangkok high-rise building which collapsed due to the earthquake said that they have found signs of life in the debris of the 30-storey tower block, Al Jazeera reported quoting local media. “We have about 72 hours to help them because that is the approximate time a person can survive without water and food," Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the national disaster relief organisation said, as per radio station Thai PBS. He further said that some of the survivors remain trapped metres below the surface.
The chief of Myanmar's military junta, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, visited the country's second largest city of Mandalay, which suffered severe destruction on account of being located near the epicentre of the earthquake. As per a statement released on Saturday, he " “instructed authorities to expedite search and rescue efforts", Al Jazeera reported. Min Aung Hlaing had also urged other countries to provide assistance in the wake of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday, which was followed by several aftershocks.
Several students are still believed to be trapped in the debris of the Wisdom Villa private high school in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar, New York Times reported. The report cited an AFP news agency video, which shows rescuers calling out names to hear any signs of life, as per NYT.
More than 90 people remain trapped in the debris of an apartment block in the city of Mandalay in central Myanmar, Al Jazeera reported quoting AFP, which cited Red Cross officials. The building, Sky Villa Condominium, was among the worst hit in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake which shook the country on Friday. “Nine people are dead and 44 have been extracted alive,” the official said, as per Al Jazeera.
After overcrowding in hospitals in Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar, a day after a quake jolted the country, streets in the city are congested with ambulances, as per New York Times. The vehicles were rushing to the nearby town of Pyin Oo Lwin, two hours from Mandalay, after the city's hospitals reached their occupancy capacity on Saturday.
India is sending a contingent of 80 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel to Myanmar, in order to aid the relief and rescue work in the region, a day after an earthquake of 7.7 magnitude hit the country, followed by an aftershock. The personnel, being sent under 'Operation Brahma' will carry equipment like strong concrete cutters, hammers and drill machines to facilitate the search operations.
Myanmar’s military regime has opened a temporary hospital and relief camp at Mandalay Airport, though it has not specified its capacity, reported BBC. The airport remains non-functional due to runway damage, but efforts are underway to resume flights. Meanwhile, Airports of Thailand confirmed that operations at six major airports, including Bangkok and Chiang Mai, have returned to normal, as per BBC.
China will provide Myanmar with 100 million yuan ($13.77 million) worth of aid after an earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people, its embassy said on Saturday. The aid will include tents, blankets, emergency medical kits, food and water and other essential items, with the first batch arriving March 31, according to the Chinese embassy's Facebook page.
(Reuters)
Rescue workers in Mandalay are struggling to reach seven people trapped under a collapsed high-rise building following the powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar’s second-largest city. A rescuer involved in the operation said 50 people had been pulled from the rubble overnight, as per BBC. However, more than 24 hours after the quake, several remain trapped.
“We are still trying to pull out the rest of the trapped people, but we need large machines. They are still shouting, and we can still hear their voices, but we can’t know where they are," the rescue worker said, as per BBC. Calling for urgent assistance, they added, "If we can get the support of those big machines, we can remove the damage and then pull out the trapped people."
India sent 15 tonnes of relief materials to Myanmar under 'Operation Brahma' after a powerful earthquake hit the country and Thailand, PTI reported. A C130J aircraft delivered supplies, including tents, blankets, food, water purifiers, and medicines, to Yangon. Two more IAF aircraft carrying aid will depart soon, officials said. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar posted on 'X', "#operationbrahma gets underway. First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern, stating, "India stands ready to offer all possible assistance," and directed authorities to remain on standby.
#operationbrahma gets underway.The Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN recognises the urgent need for humanitarian assistance for Myanmar following a major earthquake and is ready to support recovery efforts, its foreign ministers said on Saturday. "ASEAN affirms its solidarity and will work closely to coordinate humanitarian assistance, support and facilitate relief operations, and ensure timely and effective humanitarian response," the Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers said in a joint statement.
(Reuters)
New Zealand has pledged NZ$2 million (£880,000) to aid Myanmar’s earthquake relief efforts, directing funds to the International Red Cross for essential supplies and medical assistance, reported BBC. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said New Zealand would “continue to closely monitor the humanitarian response.” Australia also expressed solidarity with those affected, stating it is “monitoring the humanitarian situation closely.” Both governments confirmed no reports of injuries or fatalities among their citizens, as per BBC.
The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar released energy equivalent to 334 atomic bombs, geologist Jess Phoenix told CNN. She warned that aftershocks could persist for months as the Indian tectonic plate continues to collide with the Eurasian plate beneath Myanmar.
Rescue workers in Bangkok have detected vital signs from 15 individuals still trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building near Chatuchak market, according to the city's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt. With over 100 people believed to be trapped, authorities are racing against time, deploying heavy machinery to remove debris in the urgent search for survivors, with Governor Sittipunt emphasizing that "every second counts in saving lives". (BBC)
Following a powerful earthquake in neighboring Myanmar, Bangkok's governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, announced that the city has received over 2,000 reports of structural cracks in buildings, prompting a massive inspection effort. "Safety is our top priority," Chadchart said, adding "Despite the collapse of one under-construction building, no completed buildings have suffered structural failure." The governor assured that detailed inspections will be conducted on 700 structures, with a focus on high-rise buildings in the inner city, where most of the cracks were reported.
(with inputs from CNN)
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has extended his condolences to Myanmar's military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, following a powerful earthquake that struck the country on Friday, killing hundreds . China has also dispatched search and rescue teams to Myanmar to aid in relief efforts, with the first team arriving in Yangon on Saturday morning, marking the first international rescue team to reach the country, as reported CNN.
The devastating earthquake in Myanmar has claimed 1,000 lives, with 2,376 people injured and 30 still missing, according to the country's military. This update comes as rescue efforts continue, with aid pouring in from countries like India, which has sent 15 tonnes of relief material, including food, water purifiers, and essential medicines.
India has swiftly sent humanitarian aid to Myanmar after a devastating earthquake struck the country, killing hundreds. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged India's support yesterday, saying Indian authorities were "on standby" to assist Myanmar.
Relatives of workers at a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake wait as rescuers search for victims, in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AP)
Rescuers search for victims at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a strong earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AP)
People stand near a damaged construction site of a high-rise building in Bangkok, Thailand, as rescuers search for victims following its collapse after Friday's earthquake. (Photo: AP)
The devastating earthquake in Myanmar has claimed 694 lives and left 1,670 people injured, according to the country's military junta, as reported by Reuters.
Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has not been affected by the recent earthquakes and remains in jail in the capital Nay Pyi Taw, according to a source close to prison authorities, as reported by the BBC. Aung San Suu Kyi has been under detention since the military coup in 2021, which ousted her from power. She was transferred to house arrest in 2023, but was later relocated back to jail in the capital.
The US Geological Service's automated system, Pager, estimates that yesterday's earthquake in Myanmar could result in over 10,000 fatalities, based on the intensity of the shaking and population density in the affected area. However, this is only a preliminary estimate and does not take into account secondary disasters such as landslides, liquefaction, and tsunamis, with the current death toll standing at 144.
(Inputs from BBC)
Minor tremors continued to rock Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, according to the BBC. Many residents spent the night outdoors, fearful of another powerful quake like the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the region yesterday.
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