Mandalay: A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday afternoon has left at least 1,002 people dead, 2,376 injured, and 30 missing, according to the Information Team of Myanmar's State Administration Council. Rescue efforts have intensified despite severe disruptions to transportation and communication networks.
The quake, which originated near Sagaing, triggered 12 aftershocks ranging from 2.8 to 7.5 in magnitude, worsening conditions in the affected areas. The destruction has been widespread, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, northeastern Shan State, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions, reports Xinhua news agency.
The Myanmar government has declared a national emergency as emergency responders work tirelessly to assist those in need. The Yangon-Mandalay highway, a critical transport link, sustained severe damage near Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay, complicating relief operations. With sections of the highway and Mandalay Airport structures collapsing, travel between Yangon and Mandalay—Myanmar’s two largest cities—has been severely affected. People have resorted to using the older Yangon-Mandalay road to reach quake-hit areas and support rescue efforts.
Rescue teams, including fire service personnel from lower Myanmar, have arrived in severely affected areas such as Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. However, damaged infrastructure, power outages, and disruptions to phone and internet services have made relief efforts even more challenging.
International assistance has started arriving, with a Chinese rescue team landing in Yangon on Saturday morning to support Myanmar’s emergency response and provide aid to affected communities. Myanmar leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has called for humanitarian assistance from both local and international communities. On Saturday morning, he arrived in Mandalay to oversee rescue operations and assess the damage.
As authorities and rescue teams work around the clock, Myanmar faces the enormous challenge of recovering from one of its most powerful earthquakes in recent history. With critical infrastructure damaged and essential services disrupted, coordinated relief efforts are urgently needed to help survivors rebuild their lives.
With IANS inputs