According to the latest updates, at least 1,644 people have died while 3,408 others sustain injuries in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar. Due to the communication outage, few details have come out so far from areas except urban areas, including Mandalay and Naypyidaw.
Following the devastating earthquake of 7.7 magnitude, which left more than 1,600 dead and countless buried, the smell of decaying bodies permeates the streets of Myanmar’s second-largest city. The search and rescue operations are underway, with officials working incessantly to clear rubble in the hope of finding someone alive. The epicentre of the Friday tremors was near Mandalay, which brought down scores of buildings as well as damaged crucial infrastructure, including the city’s airport.
Relief operations hampered by several challenges
Notably, the relief operations have been obstructed by several challenges in the aftermath of the calamity, such as buckled roads, downed bridges, spotty communications, as well as the civil war. Additionally, a high temperature which went up to 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) further exacerbates the relief operations.
As per the latest updates, at least 1,644 people have died while 3,408 others sustain injuries. All commercial flights to the city have been shut down following the damage to the Mandalay airport and control tower toppled in the capital Naypyidaw’s airport.
Official relief efforts prioritising govt offices, locals left to dig through rubble
The official relief efforts are prioritising government offices and staff housing, while locals and aid groups are left to dig through the rubble by hand in residential areas with the sun beating down. As communication channels are disrupted in Myanmar, few details have come out so far from areas other than the main urban areas of Mandalay and Naypyidaw.
Thailand: 18 dead in devastating earthquake
In neighbouring Thailand, the quake rocked much of the country, bringing down a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok, some 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) away from the epicentre.
So far, 11 people have been found dead at the construction site near the popular Chatuchak market. A total of 18 people have been reported killed by the quake in Thailand so far.
Chinese embassy says ’14 nationals injured in earthquake’
Additionally, fourteen Chinese nationals were injured in the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar, the Chinese embassy confirmed on Sunday. Two people were reported injured in China’s Yunnan Province, according to the provincial earthquake agency.
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