The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday released energy equivalent to 334 atomic bombs, a geologist has warned, as the region braces for prolonged aftershocks.
"The force released by such an earthquake is equal to about 334 atomic bombs," geologist Jess Phoenix informed.
She further cautioned that aftershocks could persist for months due to the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates beneath Myanmar.
The earthquake, which had its epicentre in Mandalay city, struck at midday at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The official death toll has surpassed 1,600, but the USGS has estimated that fatalities could exceed 10,000, based on initial assessments.
Adding to the catastrophe, Myanmar's ongoing civil war and communication blackout have severely impeded relief efforts and obscured the true scale of the devastation from the outside world.
The combined impact of the natural disaster and the country’s internal strife is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
India has dispatched a search and rescue team alongside a medical unit, supplying essential relief materials, including blankets, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, sleeping bags, solar lamps, food packets, and kitchen sets.
A 37-member team from China’s Yunnan province has arrived in Yangon, equipped with emergency relief supplies such as life detectors, earthquake early warning systems, and drones to assist in search and rescue operations and medical relief.
Russia's Emergencies Ministry has also mobilised aid, sending two aircraft carrying 120 rescuers along with essential relief materials, as reported by state news agency TASS.
The tremors from the massive quake were felt strongly in southwest China’s Yunnan province, which shares a border with Myanmar.
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