Asger Risom
More than 1,700 confirmed dead as intense heat and chaos hamper rescue efforts
Rescue teams in Myanmar and Thailand are racing against time, but hope is dwindling. Three days after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, followed minutes later by a strong aftershock, the number of confirmed dead has surpassed 1,700 — and the toll is expected to rise significantly.
The epicenter was near the heavily populated Sagaing fault zone, but the shockwaves were felt as far as Bangkok, where at least 18 people were killed, most in the collapse of a 30-story building under construction.
In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, hundreds have been sleeping outdoors under scorching 40-degree heat as rescue efforts slow due to the extreme conditions and a lack of medical infrastructure.
Chaos Amid Civil Conflict
Sunday night brought a heartbreaking scene in Mandalay: rescuers pulled a pregnant woman from the rubble after she had been trapped for more than 55 hours.
Despite amputating her leg in a last-ditch attempt to save her, she succumbed to blood loss. “We tried everything to save her,” a member of the medical team told AFP, as reported by Linternaute.
Monday marks both mass funerals and the Muslim holiday of Eid, casting a particularly somber mood over mourning communities.
The junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, made a rare international appeal for aid, underlining the gravity of the disaster in a country already reeling from years of civil war and displacement.
Authorities now report around 1,700 dead, 3,400 injured, and 300 missing. However, access to accurate information remains difficult due to Myanmar’s isolation and ongoing internal conflict.
Rescue Efforts and Continued Violence
The World Health Organization has classified the disaster at its highest emergency level. The Red Cross is calling for over $100 million in aid, while countries like China, Malaysia, India, and soon Indonesia have dispatched support teams.
Even as international aid flows in, violence persists. On Friday, Myanmar’s military reportedly carried out an airstrike against an ethnic minority armed group in Shan State, killing seven fighters. Similar strikes have been reported, though independent verification is lacking.
In Bangkok, rescue teams continue searching for survivors in the collapsed high-rise. Authorities have gradually reopened public transport systems following safety inspections.
As the region grapples with the dual crises of natural disaster and political instability, thousands remain displaced, vulnerable, and in urgent need of shelter, food, and medical care.