Myanmar: Over 1,640 dead from 7.7 Richter
Video from the time of the earthquake in Myanmar
The city of Mandaley was hit more
The initial 7.7 Richter earthquake occurred near the city of Mandaley in the central Myanmar early Friday afternoon (local time), followed by a 6.7 Richter aftershock.
Due to the earthquake, buildings and bridges collapsed, and major damage to the city with a population of over 1.7 million.
Satellite image shows the Inoa bridge, which collapsed after the earthquake, in the city of Mandaley.
Residents also help research. The owner of a Teo -Tyopoti spoke to AFP while he was among the debris of a damaged restaurant on a central street in his neighborhood.
« About seven people died here » when the earthquake struck on Friday, he told the well -known agency.
« I’m looking for more carcasses, but I know there may be no survivors, » he noted.
« We don’t know how many carcasses there may be, but we are looking, » he added.
About an hour later, there was a small aftershock, making people run out of a hotel for security, after a similar vibration that was felt late Saturday night.
Firefighters trucks gathered at one of Mandalei’s main fire stations to then attempt to areas of the city.
Last night, rescuers had recovered a woman alive from the wreckage of a collapsing apartment building, applauding as they transported her to an ambulance.
Junta’s announcement for the dead
The junta of Myanmar said in a statement on Saturday that at least 1,644 people were killed and more than 3,400 were injured in the country, while at least 139 are still missing.
However, due to problems with communications, the real scale of disaster is not clear, and the estimates are pessimistic. The number of dead is expected to increase significantly, notes Guardian.
See also a post from Reuters:
Junta’s leader Min Aung Hlating addressed an extremely rare call for international aid on Friday, indicating the magnitude of the disaster.
The previous military governments avoided receiving foreign aid, even after major natural disasters.
Unilateral ceasefire was preached by guerrillas
Myanmar has already ruined after the four -year civil war caused by the military coup in 2021.
The PDF guerrillas (People’s Defense Force) declared a unilateral ceasefire to facilitate earthquakes.
The PDF « will stop aggressive military operations for two weeks, with the exception of defense actions in areas affected by the earthquake », starting on March 30, 2025, the movement’s announcement said.
The guerrilla organization assures that « it will work with the UN and Non -Governmental Organizations » to safeguard the security and transportation of humanitarian aid, as well as the creation of temporary earthquake -stricken camps in areas under its control.
Unprepared Myanmar to deal with such a disaster
Aid organizations have warned that Myanmar is not prepared to face a destruction of this size.
The UN Humanitarian Service, OCHA, said that the serious lack of medical supplies as well as infrastructure damage is hindering the earthquake’s efforts.
OCHA said that hospitals and health facilities have been damaged or damaged.
« Telecommunications and internet malfunctions continue to hinder humanitarian communications and businesses. The damaged roads and debris prevent the providing humanitarian aid and complicate the estimates of needs, « the announcement is added.
The service said a motorway of 17 trucks from neighboring China carrying scenes and medical supplies is expected to arrive in Myanmar on Sunday.
See relevant post:
Doctors and humanitarian aid is also sent by India.
About 3.5 million people have been displaced by the Civil War, many of whom are at risk of hunger, which happened even before the earthquake.
Research on the debris of the skyscraper in Bangkok
On the other side of the border, in Thailand, rescuers in Bangkok were working on Sunday to release survivors who were trapped when a 30 -storey skyscraper collapsed after Friday’s earthquake.
Rescue operation in Bangkok.
Employees at the site use large mechanical digging machines in an effort to find victims who are still trapped on Sunday morning.
Dogs detectors and unmanned thermal imaging aircraft have also been developed to look for signs of life in the collapsing building, near the weekend Tsatutsak market and is popular with tourists.
Authorities said today that they would send engineers to evaluate and repair 165 damaged buildings to the city.
