Rescue teams in Myanmar pulled a 26-year-old man alive from the debris of a collapsed hotel in the capital early Wednesday, as hopes of finding more survivors dwindled five days after a powerful earthquake struck the country.
After locating Naing Lin Tun with an endoscopic camera, rescuers painstakingly extracted him through a hole created using jackhammers. The operation, lasting nearly nine hours, was undertaken by a joint Turkish and local team.
Footage released by the fire department showed Naing Lin Tun, shirtless and coated in dust, appearing weak but conscious as he was placed on a gurney, fitted with an IV drip, and transported for medical care. State-run MRTV confirmed the rescue effort took place in Naypyitaw, one of the cities most affected by the quake.
Death toll shoots up
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck on Friday midday, has left widespread devastation, toppling thousands of buildings, buckling roads, and causing bridges to collapse. Official figures place the death toll at 2,719, with another 4,521 injured, though independent reports suggest significantly higher casualties.
The tremors extended beyond Myanmar’s borders, with neighbouring Thailand also experiencing structural collapses. In Bangkok, a high-rise under construction crumbled, claiming 22 lives and injuring 34, mainly construction workers.
Myanmar, already grappling with a prolonged civil war, now faces an escalating humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has stated that more than 3 million people were displaced prior to the earthquake, with nearly 20 million in urgent need of aid.
Several nations have stepped forward with assistance. Australia announced an additional $4.5 million in aid on Wednesday, supplementing a previous $1.25 million commitment, while India has dispatched two naval ships carrying relief supplies and around 200 rescue personnel.
China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates have also mobilised extensive rescue teams, with China deploying 270 personnel, Russia 212, and the UAE 122. The United States, which has pledged $2 million in emergency relief, sent a three-member team from USAID to assess the most effective avenues for assistance amid budgetary constraints.
Remote areas cut off
While major cities such as Mandalay and Naypyitaw have reported extensive damage, the situation in rural areas remains unclear due to disrupted communication lines and difficult terrain.
In Singu township, some 65 kilometres north of Mandalay, 27 gold miners perished in a landslide caused by the earthquake, according to the independent Democratic Voice of Burma. Further north, at Inle Lake, where homes are built on wooden stilts above water, many structures collapsed, causing significant casualties, though exact figures remain unknown, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.
With each passing day, the focus is shifting from rescue to recovery, as emergency teams brace for a mounting death toll in the wake of one of Myanmar’s deadliest natural disasters.
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