Myanmar Earthquake Leaves Over 1,700 Dead as Rescuers Race Against Time

Rescuers are racing to find survivors more than three days after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, toppling buildings as far as Bangkok and sending tremors through China’s neighboring provinces.

Authorities in Myanmar have confirmed at least 1,700 deaths, with more than 3,400 injured and nearly 300 still missing. Experts fear the final toll could exceed 10,000. The disaster, Myanmar’s deadliest in over a century, comes amid an ongoing civil war that has already weakened the country’s infrastructure.

The epicenter was in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, near Mandalay, where collapsed bridges and destroyed roads have left many areas isolated. In Bangkok, at least 18 people were killed, including 11 in a collapsed under-construction high-rise.

Foreign aid has begun arriving after Myanmar’s military government made a rare plea for international assistance. China, Russia, the U.K., and the U.S. are among the nations sending emergency teams and aid. However, damaged infrastructure, ongoing conflict, and severe shortages of medical supplies are slowing relief efforts.

Scientists attribute the earthquake’s devastation to its shallow depth and location along the Sagaing Fault. The USGS estimates that the energy released was equivalent to 334 atomic bombs, with aftershocks expected to continue for months.

Sources:https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/30/asia/myanmar-thailand-earthquake-what-we-know-intl-hnk/index.html