Death toll in Myanmar earthquake rises above 1,600

Death toll from the devastating earthquake in Myanmar has surpassed 1,600, with fears that the number could rise significantly as rescue teams scramble to locate survivors amid widespread destruction, NBC News reported on Saturday.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread destruction.

The earthquake, centered near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, also affected neighbouring Thailand, where several people were confirmed dead and dozens more remained missing.

The earthquake struck around 1:30 p.m. local time, followed by an aftershock measuring 6.7 magnitude just 11 minutes later.

It was reported that another tremor of 5.1 magnitude was recorded near the capital, Naypyidaw.

In Thailand, a 30-storey building in Bangkok collapsed, trapping numerous individuals under the rubble.

Rescue teams, utilising drones, dogs, and heavy equipment, worked around the clock to search for survivors, detecting signs of life beneath the debris.

In Myanmar, the situation remained critical as rescuers struggled to reach those trapped in collapsed buildings.

Videos verified by NBC News showed significant destruction, including the collapse of a Buddhist monastery in Pindaya and a clock tower in Mandalay.

Hospitals were overwhelmed with the injured, and the military government declared a state of emergency in several regions, including Mandalay and Naypyidaw.

According to the city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, rescuers could detect signs of life from about 15 people under the rubble, as crews continued to race against time on Saturday to uncover survivors.

With rescue and recovery operations ongoing, the BBC’s Burmese service reported the sounds of people screaming from within the debris of a collapsed high-rise in Mandalay, where about 50 people had already been pulled from the rubble.

Myanmar’s military government declared a state of emergency in multiple regions, including Mandalay and Naypyidaw, and said search-and-rescue operations were underway in the hardest-hit areas.

The International Rescue Committee warned that the earthquake’s economic impact could exceed Myanmar’s entire GDP, adding to the strain on a country already grappling with a humanitarian crisis due to ongoing conflict.

“The full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake may not be clear for weeks,” Mohammed Riyas, the International Rescue Committee director for Myanmar, said in a statement Friday.

More than 19 million people in Myanmar were already in urgent need of aid before the earthquake struck, and the disaster has worsened the situation.

“The added stress of meeting the needs of those injured in this earthquake will place an unparalleled strain on already stretched resources,” Riyas warned.

International aid efforts have already begun, with countries like Russia and China dispatching rescue teams and supplies.

Myanmar’s military government has opened routes for foreign assistance, accepting offers from neighboring nations and international organisations.

Using predictive analysis based on the magnitude and intensity of the earthquake, the USGS has estimated that the death toll could exceed 10,000, with economic losses potentially surpassing the country’s GDP.

As of Saturday afternoon local time, Myanmar state media reported 3,408 people injured and 139 missing.

Russia has already mobilized aid, with its emergency ministry sending two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to the state news agency TASS.

The Chinese Embassy announced in a Facebook post that a 37-member team had arrived in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, bringing medical supplies and equipment to detect signs of life.