The catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has left the country reeling, with the official death toll soaring to at least 1,700. Rescuers are in a desperate race against time to find survivors trapped beneath the rubble, but the scale of destruction continues to grow. Buildings have crumbled, roads have buckled, and bridges have collapsed across large parts of the affected region. The situation is equally grim in neighboring Thailand, where at least 17 people have been killed and 83 others remain missing following the disaster. Authorities fear the death toll in both countries could rise significantly as search operations continue amid the ongoing crisis.
Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, has been the worst affected, bearing the brunt of the devastation. The densely populated metropolis, home to 1.7 million people, was left in ruins as aftershocks continued to jolt the region. The initial earthquake, centered near Mandalay, was followed just minutes later by a powerful 6.7-magnitude aftershock, exacerbating the damage and making rescue operations even more challenging. Residents have been frantically digging through the debris in a desperate bid to locate their missing loved ones. Many survivors, left homeless and vulnerable, have gathered in makeshift shelters, struggling to come to terms with the scale of the disaster.
Win Lwin, a local tea shop owner, was seen sifting through the wreckage of a collapsed restaurant, tossing bricks aside in search of bodies. “About seven people died here. I’m looking for more bodies, but I know there cannot be any survivors,” he told AFP, his voice filled with anguish. The haunting scene is being repeated across Mandalay and other affected areas, where families and rescue workers are facing an overwhelming task. The destruction has made it difficult for emergency response teams to reach remote villages, raising concerns that many victims may still be trapped in places where help has yet to arrive.
The humanitarian crisis has prompted Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) to take an unprecedented step, announcing a unilateral partial ceasefire in the country’s ongoing civil war. The ceasefire is aimed at allowing aid workers and emergency responders to carry out relief operations without the added risk of conflict. However, the scale of the crisis is immense. According to the latest figures from the Associated Press, at least 3,408 people have been injured, while 139 individuals remain missing. The full extent of the destruction is still being assessed, and authorities warn that the death toll could continue to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.
Even before the earthquake, Myanmar was already grappling with immense hardships. The country has been in turmoil since the military coup of 2021, with an ongoing civil war displacing an estimated 3.5 million people. Many communities were already struggling with food shortages and inadequate healthcare, and the earthquake has only deepened the crisis. The United Nations has sounded the alarm, warning that Myanmar lacks the necessary medical equipment and resources to mount an effective response to a disaster of this scale. International aid organizations have echoed these concerns, stating that the country is woefully unprepared to handle such an emergency.
India has responded swiftly by dispatching extensive relief aid to Myanmar. The Indian government has sent five military aircraft carrying vital supplies, medical equipment, and emergency response personnel. Additionally, an 80-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and military field hospitals have been deployed to provide medical assistance. To further bolster relief efforts, the Indian Navy has also sent two warships, INS Satpura and INS Savitri, carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and temporary shelters. These efforts highlight India’s commitment to assisting its neighbor during this devastating crisis.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, the earthquake has caused chaos in the capital city of Bangkok, where a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed due to the tremors. The building, located near the city’s bustling Chatuchak weekend market, crumbled, trapping dozens of people under the wreckage. At least 17 people have been confirmed dead, while 32 others have been injured. An additional 83 individuals remain unaccounted for, with authorities fearing that many of them may still be buried beneath the ruins. Thai rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate survivors, utilizing mechanical diggers, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging drones in their search efforts. The collapse has raised concerns about the safety of other high-rise structures in Bangkok, particularly in areas with older buildings that may not be equipped to withstand strong seismic activity.
The earthquake has compounded the hardships facing both Myanmar and Thailand, leaving tens of thousands of people displaced and in urgent need of aid. As search and rescue operations continue, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, with calls for additional humanitarian assistance growing louder. Given Myanmar’s already fragile political and humanitarian landscape, the disaster has placed an unprecedented strain on the country’s resources, making international support more crucial than ever.
The full impact of this devastating earthquake is yet to be fully understood, but for now, the focus remains on finding survivors and providing critical relief to those affected. Authorities in both Myanmar and Thailand have warned that the coming days will be critical in determining how many lives can still be saved. The tragedy has underscored the vulnerability of the region to natural disasters and the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness measures in the future.
