At least 1,000 people have been confirmed dead, with 2,376 injured and 30 still missing, after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, local authorities reported.
Rescue teams continue to pull bodies from the rubble of collapsed buildings, as hopes fade for those still missing. The earthquake, which hit near the country’s second-largest city, Mandalay, caused widespread devastation, toppling buildings, damaging infrastructure, and even breaching a dam.
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The earthquake struck at midday Friday, followed by strong aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4 in magnitude. The tremors buckled roads, caused bridges to collapse, and severely damaged Mandalay’s airport. In the capital, Naypyidaw, emergency crews worked on Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, phone, and internet services remained down in most areas.
Entire sections of Naypyidaw, including residential buildings that housed government workers, were cordoned off by authorities. In neighboring Thailand, where at least 17 people were killed, the quake was felt across the greater Bangkok area, home to 17 million people.
Search for survivors
Rescue operations continued through the weekend, but as heavy machinery arrived to clear the rubble, families of the missing grew increasingly desperate.
“I was praying they had survived, but when I saw this ruin—where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive?” said 45-year-old Naruemol Thonglek, sobbing as she waited for news of her partner and five friends who were at the disaster site.
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Waenphet Panta, another distraught relative, had not heard from her daughter, Kanlayanee, since just before the quake. “I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and is in the hospital,” she said, sitting beside Kanlayanee’s father, AP reported.
![A view shows debris next to a damaged building in Mandalay, Myanmar [Reuters]](https://businessday.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Untitled-design-11-1.png)
International aid efforts underway
Foreign aid has begun arriving as Myanmar’s neighbors, including India, China, Malaysia, and Singapore, rush to provide assistance. China dispatched 135 rescue personnel and experts, along with medical supplies and generators, and pledged $13.8 million in emergency aid. A convoy of 17 Chinese cargo trucks carrying shelter and medical supplies was expected to reach Mandalay on Sunday.
India sent two C-17 military aircraft carrying a field hospital unit and 120 personnel to set up a 60-bed emergency treatment center in Mandalay. Russia deployed 120 rescuers, medical teams, and supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) is mobilizing trauma supplies from its Dubai logistics hub and coordinating relief efforts from Geneva.
The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom have also sent emergency aid.
However, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned of a severe shortage of medical supplies, which is hampering relief efforts.
As the world rallies to help, Myanmar faces a long road to recovery, with thousands still in need of urgent medical care and shelter.
