More than 1,000 deaths and over 2,000 injuries after earthquakes in Myanmar
The number of officially confirmed fatalities after the earthquake in Myanmar has risen to more than 1,000. The military leadership of the Southeast Asian country also announced on state television that the number of injuries was more than 2,370.
On Friday, the earth in Southeast Asia had violated violently and caused severe destruction. The German Geo-Research Institute (GFZ) in Potsdam and the US Erdbiebenwarte (USGS) now state the strength at 7.7. In addition, a few minutes later, both institutes registered a little more south with a thickness of 6.4.
The epicenter of the stronger quake was near Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar with 1.6 million inhabitants. The quake was also clearly felt in Thailand, China and Vietnam.
A building in Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar, collapses during the earthquake. Photo: AFP
The Red Cross in Myanmar spoke of devastating damage. There is great concern that dams could break on the river Irrawaddy.
Worrying estimate
But the situation in Myanmar remains confusing. Since a military coup in February 2021, the former Burma has already sinked into violence and chaos, various rebel groups are partially fighting against the army. There are little information from the country. The military junta informs about confirmed deaths. Officially, another 30 people are considered missing. More detailed lists would still be worked out, it said.
A rescuer is working on saving people from a collapsed building in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw. Photo: AFP
According to an estimate by the US-earthquake, the number of victims could go into thousands. The institute fears that a total of more than 10,000 people may have died in Myanmar and the other affected regions.
The European Commission announced on Friday evening to activate the Copernicus satellite service in order to be able to assess the consequences of the earthquake better.
No end to the quake around Santorini
Help of one of the few allies
The Chinese province of Yunnan also reported injuries and damage to buildings.
According to state media, the People’s Republic, one of the few allies Myanmar, sent a small team of disaster protection with special devices across the border to Myanmar. The Chinese Foreign Office also agreed to help. State and party leader XI Jinping expressed his sympathy for military junta min aung hlaing.
Search in Thailand continues
So far, three deaths have been officially confirmed in Thailand. According to media reports, however, up to ten dead are said to have been recovered. In addition, there are 101 missing people in the city of Bangkok alone.
The Thai weather authority also recorded further earthquakes one day after the severe earthquake. Of the 77 measured earthquakes, which occurred mainly in the area of the Myanmar adjacent in the north, most were significantly weaker and sometimes hardly felt, as it was said.
In Bangkok, a high -rise building under construction was collapsed on Friday. The search for missing people in the rubble continues as shown in photos.
Meanwhile, some everyday life returned to the Thai capital. In public transport, some subway lines started again. Others were further checked for damage.
Often devastating damage
With severe earthquakes like now in Myanmar, the damage is usually devastating. Thousands often die, through the destruction, entire populations lose their home. Asia in particular is always affected. Afghanistan (June 2022), Indonesia (September 2028) and Nepal (May 2015) experience disasters with thousands of dead. The earthquake from March 2011 is particularly devastating in front of the Japanese east coast, which demanded almost 16,000 lives and caused the ancient power plant of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima.
In Pakistan and India, after a quake of 7.6 in October 2005, the strength of 7.6 is counted to 80,000 fatalities, 3.5 million people become homeless. Previously, Christmas 2004 had triggered a strong seaquake on the island of Sumatra huge tsunamis that brought death and destruction to the coasts of the Indian ocean. Estimated 230,000 people died.
