On Saturday, the death toll from a massive earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand surpassed 1,000, as rescuers continued their urgent search for survivors amid the wreckage of collapsed structures. The 7.7-magnitude quake hit in the early afternoon, located northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar, followed by a significant 6.7-magnitude aftershock just minutes later.
The earthquake wreaked havoc across large areas of Myanmar, particularly in Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city with more than 1.7 million residents. Buildings crumbled, bridges fell, and roads were severely damaged. According to a statement from the ruling junta, at least 1,002 fatalities and nearly 2,400 injuries have been reported in Myanmar alone, while around 10 additional deaths have been confirmed in Bangkok. However, the extent of the destruction is only beginning to be understood, as communication systems within the military-ruled nation remain severely disrupted, suggesting that the casualty figures may continue to rise.
Geologists have noted that this was the most significant earthquake to impact Myanmar in decades. The tremors were so intense that they caused property damage in Bangkok, hundreds of kilometers away from the quake’s epicenter.
In Mandalay, reporters from AFP witnessed the ruins of a centuries-old Buddhist pagoda, completely destroyed by the quake. “It started shaking, then it got serious,” recounted a soldier stationed at a checkpoint near the pagoda. “A monastery also collapsed, resulting in the death of one monk and injuries to several others. We rescued some individuals and transported them to the hospital.” The monumental head of the Buddha statue in the monastery had broken off and was resting on the platform at its feet.
Residents surrounding the monastery expressed fear of further quakes. “No one dares to sleep inside,” said the soldier. “I’ve never experienced anything quite like this.”
At Mandalay Airport, security personnel denied entry to journalists, stating, “It has been closed since yesterday due to a ceiling collapse, but fortunately no one was harmed.”
The airport’s damage could hinder relief efforts in a nation already grappling with a healthcare system and rescue services severely weakened by the prolonged civil conflict ignited by the coup in 2021.
In an unprecedented move, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing issued a rare request for international aid on Friday, acknowledging the catastrophic nature of the disaster. Historically, Myanmar’s military governments have refrained from soliciting foreign support, even after significant disasters.
A state of emergency was declared across six of the most affected regions following the quake. Medical staff at a major hospital in Naypyidaw had to treat victims outdoors on Friday due to infrastructure damage. International offers for assistance began to arrive, with former President Donald Trump promising U.S. aid. “It’s a severe disaster, and we will provide help. We’ve already discussed it with the country,” Trump stated in a press conference.
An initial shipment of aid from India, including hygiene kits, blankets, and food parcels, arrived in Yangon on Saturday, while China dispatched an 82-member rescue team to assist Myanmar.
Aid organizations have cautioned that the nation is ill-equipped to handle such a disaster, especially with 3.5 million people already displaced by ongoing conflict and at risk of food insecurity prior to the earthquake.
Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake leaves Structural Damage
Meanwhile, across the border in Bangkok, rescuers worked tirelessly through the night to find survivors trapped under the rubble of a 30-story construction site that collapsed in an instant, turned into debris and twisted metal by the quake’s intensity. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed that at least 10 persons were reported dead in the city, primarily due to the building collapse, with up to 100 workers still unaccounted for.
“We are doing everything we can with available resources, as every life matters,” Chadchart explained to reporters at the scene.
Authorities deployed thermal imaging drones to detect signs of life within the debris, with indications pointing to at least 15 individuals potentially trapped. The city has received over 2,000 damage reports, prompting officials to send over 100 engineers to assess structural safety.
As a result of unsafe conditions, around 400 individuals were forced to sleep outside in city parks. Although Bangkok did not experience widespread destruction, the quake caused alarming scenes, including rooftop swimming pools overflowing down the sides of several high-rise buildings and hotels.
Hospitals were also compelled to evacuate patients, with one woman delivering her baby outdoors after being moved from a hospital building, while a surgeon continued an operation on a patient in the open air, as reported by an AFP spokesperson.
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