Mon Mar 31 12:42:28 UTC 2025: ## Devastating Earthquake Kills Over 1,700 in Myanmar, Hampers Relief Efforts

**Mandalay, Myanmar –** A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar on Friday, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least 1,700 people. The death toll is expected to rise significantly, with around 300 still missing and over 3,400 injured. A subsequent 6.7 magnitude aftershock further compounded the damage.

The earthquake caused widespread devastation in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, collapsing buildings, destroying bridges and roads, and crippling infrastructure. Satellite imagery reveals extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including airports, highways, and bridges, severely hindering the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid. Naypyitaw International Airport sustained significant damage, forcing aid flights from India and China to divert to Yangon.

Rescuers are working frantically to clear rubble amidst the stench of decaying bodies, but efforts are hampered by the scale of the disaster, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing aftershocks. A 5.1 magnitude aftershock on Sunday sent panicked screams through the streets where many residents are sleeping outdoors. The search and rescue operation, largely conducted by local residents using rudimentary tools in sweltering 41-degree Celsius heat, is further challenged by the ongoing civil war in the country.

The military junta’s rare appeal for international aid highlights the severity of the situation, a stark contrast to previous governments’ reluctance to accept foreign assistance. A two-week partial ceasefire has been declared by anti-junta fighters in quake-affected regions.

The earthquake also impacted neighboring Thailand, where a 30-story building under construction in Bangkok collapsed, resulting in at least 17 deaths, 32 injuries, and 83 missing persons.

The full extent of the damage and casualties remains unclear, but the earthquake is undeniably one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit Myanmar in recent years, further complicating an already unstable political landscape.

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