Myanmar’s anti-coup fighters call two-week ceasefire to focus on earthquake relief as death toll crosses 1,600

Myanmar's junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, has made a rare appeal for global assistance in response to the devastating earthquake that struck the country, killing at least 144 people and injuring over 730.

In a televised address, Min Aung Hlaing invited "any country, any organisation, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help," adding that he had "opened all ways for foreign aid". The US, EU, Asean, and China have pledged support, marking a significant development in the country's response to the crisis.

A 37-member Chinese disaster response team has reached Myanmar to support ongoing relief operations, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The team, dispatched from Yunnan, has brought 112 sets of emergency rescue equipment, including earthquake early warning systems, drones, and portable satellites.

(With inputs from BBC)

A power outage has struck Myanmar's two largest cities, Mandalay and Yangon, leaving residents without electricity and hindering communication, according to BBC. The lack of power is expected to pose significant challenges for rescuers working through the night to search for survivors amidst the earthquake devastation.

Despite announcing plans to cut nearly all remaining jobs at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and shut the agency, US President Donald Trump has promised that the US will provide assistance to Myanmar following a devastating earthquake.

This move comes after Trump's administration told Congress of its plan to dismantle USAID, sparking concerns among humanitarian aid experts that the firings and funding cuts will hinder the US response to global crises, including the earthquake in Myanmar.

A fresh earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter Scale struck Myanmar on Friday at 11:56 pm local time, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 km, increasing the likelihood of aftershocks, with its epicenter recorded at Latitude 22.15 N and Longitude 95.41 E.

The United Nations is rallying support for Myanmar, where a devastating earthquake has claimed nearly 150 lives, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Guterres stated that the Myanmar government has requested international assistance, and the UN team in Myanmar is already working to mobilise resources and provide support to those affected, with the country being the weakest in the region to withstand this disaster.

China has pledged to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Myanmar following a powerful earthquake that struck the region. China's foreign ministry stated, "We stand ready to do our best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and support to the affected areas". The ministry expressed deep sympathies to Myanmar, highlighting the strong "pauk-phaw" friendship between the two nations, signifying their historically close ties.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed willingness to assist Burma and Thailand in the wake of a devastating earthquake. In a recent post, Rubio stated, "My prayers go out to the people of Burma and Thailand who are impacted by the earthquake... We've been in contact with these countries and, as @POTUS said, stand ready to provide assistance".

Rescue workers at the scene of a collapsed high-rise building in Bangkok, still under construction, are facing a daunting challenge as falling debris continues to pose safety risks, according to BBC News.

Despite the use of sniffer dogs and drones to locate survivors, rescuers say it remains difficult to pinpoint the area to enter safely, with red steel beams and rubble piled high, hindering their efforts to reach those trapped underneath.

Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said he expected the toll to rise and he was inviting “any country, any organisation” to help with relief efforts.

At least 144 people have been killed and 732 injured in Myanmar after a major earthquake struck the country on Friday, according to state-run MRTV on Telegram.

Earlier in the day, eyewitnesses and doctors provided separate reports of casualties, but an official death toll had not been confirmed at the time.

The full extent of the destruction remains unclear, especially as Myanmar is embroiled in a civil war, and information is tightly controlled. Officials expect the death toll to rise as rescue operations continue.

The death toll in Bangkok has risen to eight, according to the city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt.

Among the victims, seven people were killed at the construction site of the collapsed high-rise building, which was severely damaged by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar has killed at least 12 people, and the country urgently needs international assistance, according to Zin Mar Aung, the shadow foreign minister of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG).

Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Zin Mar Aung said that anti-junta militia forces, known as the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), were stepping in to provide humanitarian aid.

"It’s very serious, we need humanitarian and technical assistance from the international community," she stated, highlighting that internet restrictions imposed by the ruling junta were hampering communications in some of the worst-affected areas.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar this afternoon, killing at least 20 people and causing tremors in Thailand and China. The quake, centered near Mandalay, was followed by a 6.4 aftershock, here is all you need to know about the quake.

🔹 State of Emergency: Myanmar's military declared an emergency in six regions, including Mandalay and Naypyitaw, and launched rescue efforts.

🔹 High-Rise Collapse in Bangkok: At least three people died, and 90 are missing after a building collapsed. Seven were rescued. Bangkok was declared a disaster area.

🔹Dams at Risk: The Red Cross warned of potential damage to Myanmar’s large-scale dams.

🔹Public Infrastructure Hit: Buildings, expressways, and key facilities in Myanmar were damaged. Bangkok's subway was temporarily shut.

🔹 Rescue Ops Ongoing: Search teams continue working in Myanmar and Bangkok. Strong tremors were also felt in China's Yunnan province, but no casualties were reported.

Read the FULL REPORT HERE

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has caused widespread destruction, with its tremors felt hundreds of miles away.

Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage, but the quake’s impact has been reported across Thailand, China, and India.

A map below illustrates the intensity of the shaking, showing how far-reaching the earthquake's effects were beyond Myanmar’s borders.

(Source:USGS)

Strong tremors were reported in southwest China's Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, after an earthquake struck the neighboring country on Friday, according to state media.

As of now, no casualties have been reported in Yunnan, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

The quake, which was felt at 2:20 p.m. (local time), prompted many residents in the provincial capital Kunming to rush outdoors to ensure their safety.

The quake of magnitude 7.7 was the strongest one anywhere in the world in the last two years, USGS data show.

The epicentre of the earthquake was about 17.2 km from Mandalay, which has a population of around 1.5 million people. It was a shallow earthquake at a depth of just 10 km, according to USGS.

Read HERE what caused the earthquake

Images from Thailand have been coming in via the newswires:

People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit)

Rescuers walk at the site of a high-rise building under construction that collapsed after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Hospital patients lay on beds outdoors after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

People who evacuated from buildings following earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chutima Lalit)

People wait to be told it is safe to go back inside the Sathorn Gardens condominium building after an earthquake in Bangkok, Friday, March 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian P. D. Hannon)

Myanmar National Airlines has cancelled some flights due to the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday, it said on its Facebook page, Reuters reported.

Thailand’s Defence Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, confirmed that 90 people are missing and three have died after a high-rise under construction collapsed during a powerful earthquake in Bangkok.

While Wechayachai did not provide further details on the rescue efforts, first responders reported that seven people have been rescued from outside the collapsed building, according to the Associated Press.

Three people have been confirmed dead in Bangkok after a powerful earthquake struck neighboring Myanmar, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Friday.

The governor warned of possible aftershocks but urged residents to remain calm, stating that the situation was largely under control. Authorities received 169 reports of building damage across the city.

Urban rail services in Bangkok were temporarily suspended but are expected to resume operations on Saturday.

Myanmar's ruling military on Friday declared a state of emergency in multiple regions after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck in the country, reported Reuters. "The state will make inquiries on the situation quickly and conduct rescue operations along with providing humanitarian aid," it said on the Telegram messaging app.

Thailand's capital has been declared a disaster area following a strong earthquake in neighboring Myanmar, Bangkok city hall said, as per Reuters. The Bangkok governor has been placed in charge of coordinating the disaster response, it said.

A strong earthquake in Myanmar has caused damage to many high-rise buildings in the Thai capital Bangkok, its governor said. Chadchart Sittipunt said the number of buildings damaged was not yet known and inspections were underway. He urged people to be cautious.

(Reuters)

Bangkok emergency responder says 7 people rescued, 2 dead after building collapse triggered by earthquake, reported AP.

At least three people have died after a mosque in Myanmar partially collapsed when a strong earthquake struck the Southeast Asian nation on Friday, two eyewitnesses told Reuters. "We were saying prayers when the shaking started... Three died on the spot," said one of the people who spoke to Reuters from the town of Taungnoo in Bago region.

(Reuters)

An officer from the Myanmar Fire Services Department told the Reuters news agency, “We have started the search and going around Yangon to check for casualties and damage. So far, we have no information yet.”

The earthquake caused a skyscraper under construction to collapse in Bangkok and toppling buildings in Myanmar’s Mandalay, reported Reuters. At least one person was killed, and dozens were rescued from the rubble in Bangkok, Thailand’s emergency services reported. Witnesses described panic as people ran into the streets, with water spilling from an elevated hotel pool.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake at 7.7 magnitude with a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). It struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where social media posts showed collapsed buildings and debris, though authorities have yet to confirm casualties. In Yangon, people fled buildings, while tremors were also felt in China’s Yunnan province. In downtown Bangkok, office towers swayed for minutes, prompting mass evacuations.