Myanmar has been left devastated by a powerful earthquake that struck its second-largest city, Mandalay, on Friday, killing at least 694 people. Myanmar's junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing confirmed the death toll, even as US agencies warned that casualties could exceed 10,000.
Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to retrieve survivors from the rubble, even using their bare hands in some areas.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake has caused widespread destruction, with strong tremors felt in neighbouring countries, including India, Bangladesh, and China.
The impact of the quake was so severe that even Bangkok, nearly 900 kilometres away, felt its force. Several buildings and bridges collapsed in the Thai capital, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
least ten people were reported dead in Thailand, while over 100 construction workers remain missing after a high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok.
India sends humanitarian assistance
Responding to the crisis, India has extended humanitarian aid to Myanmar.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft carried 15 tonnes of relief supplies, including solar lamps, food packets, and kitchen sets, to the affected areas.
The move followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement expressing India’s readiness to assist its neighbour in times of crisis.
US, China, and Russia extend support
Amid ongoing budget cuts to USAID, US President Donald Trump vowed to send assistance to Myanmar, despite earlier reductions in humanitarian funding. The United Nations has also allocated $5 million to initiate relief efforts.
China has dispatched a 37-member rescue team equipped with earthquake detectors and drones, while Russia has sent two aircraft carrying 120 emergency responders and essential supplies.
Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, has made an unprecedented global appeal for aid. “I would like to invite any country, any organisation, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help. Thank you,” he said, signalling a rare willingness to accept foreign assistance.
Ongoing crisis and infrastructure damage
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a grim assessment, warning that the death toll could exceed 10,000. Myanmar’s already fragile infrastructure has taken a significant hit, with widespread damage reported in Mandalay and Naypyidaw.
Several monasteries and government buildings collapsed, and roads in the affected regions were left buckled and impassable.
In Bangkok, Thai authorities revised the local death toll on Saturday, confirming six deaths and 101 people missing. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said search efforts were ongoing, with hopes that survivors remained trapped beneath the rubble.
Myanmar’s vulnerability to earthquakes is well documented, as it sits atop the active Sagaing fault line. The country has experienced several devastating quakes in the past, including a 7.7-magnitude tremor in 1946 and a 6.8-magnitude quake in 2012.
With fears that the full extent of the disaster is yet to be realised, humanitarian agencies have expressed concerns over how quickly aid can be delivered to the worst-hit areas.
“We fear it may be weeks before we understand the full extent of destruction caused by this earthquake,” said Mohammed Riyas, Myanmar director of the International Rescue Committee.
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