Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700 as rescuers scramble to find survivors | World News
Naypyidaw: Rescue work is underway in Myanmar after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the country, killing at least 1,700 people and causing widespread damage. CNN reported that the earthquake was far away from the feeling of Bangkok and the Chinese province.
According to the country’s military government, at least 1,700 people have died and about 3,400 have been injured. Nearly 300 other people are still missing. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the final death toll may exceed 10,000 based on early modeling, according to CNN. The epicenter of the earthquake is located in the central Sagan area of Myanmar near the historic city of Mandalay. The area has a location of more than 1.5 million people, which have been severely affected, with multiple buildings, bridges and temples destroyed or damaged.
In Bangkok, the impact of the earthquake was devastating, with at least 18 people killed and dozens trapped under the ruins of a collapsed high-rise building. The building is under construction and crashed within minutes, claiming 11 lives. According to CNN, seven deaths have been reported elsewhere in the capital as authorities scramble to deal with the disaster. A search and rescue operation is underway, with about 80 missing people. Missing families are gathering on the ruins of the collapsed buildings, anxiously awaiting news from their loved ones.
The earthquake hit by Myanmar is the most powerful earthquake in more than a century, with an amplitude of 7.7. A series of aftershocks followed, including a magnitude 6.7 tremor, which continued to rattle throughout the weekend. Rescue teams are competing for time to reach the affected people, especially in areas where the Key Bridge collapses on the Ilovadi River. With many still not responsible, experts fear that the real death toll may take weeks to emerge.
Meanwhile, foreign aid and international rescue teams have begun to arrive in Myanmar after the military government issued a rare request for help. Friday’s earthquake was the deadliest natural disaster that hit the country in years and was the Myanmar reel in the Civil War, and since 2021, communication networks have damaged communication networks, damaged health infrastructure and left millions without enough food and shelter.
According to an official from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC), the level of damage the country has caused “has not been seen in Asia for more than a century.” Marie Manrique, the Myanmar Program Coordinator for IFRC, told CNN’s Lynda Kinkade that the impact of the earthquake will be felt “in the coming weeks”, suggesting that the number of deaths and injuries may increase as some people are still trapped in folded buildings.
