Mon Mar 31 06:17:59 UTC 2025: ## Dozens Feared Dead After Earthquake Collapses Myanmar Monastery During Monk Exams
**Mandalay, Myanmar** – A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, March 28th, 2025, collapsing a monastery during a religious examination and leaving dozens feared dead. Over 180 monks were taking a senior monkhood exam at the U Hla Thein monastery when the quake hit at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time.
The three-story building pancaked, trapping numerous monks under the rubble. While 21 people were rescued alive over the weekend, 13 bodies had been recovered by Sunday morning. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but the number of those still trapped remains unknown, with estimates potentially reaching the dozens. The scene is described as grim, with the smell of death permeating the air and rescue workers carefully uncovering the bodies of monks from the debris.
Among the missing is Seikta, the son of farmer Kyaw Swe, who had been a monk for 31 years. Kyaw Swe expressed his desperate hope for his son’s survival, reflecting on the Buddhist philosophy of acceptance and karma in the face of tragedy. Similar sentiments of resignation and faith were echoed by other monks and relatives at the scene.
Despite the devastation and uncertainty, rescue workers continue to search for survivors. Two individuals have been detected alive within the wreckage, and efforts to free them are underway. The precarious condition of the remaining structure, however, poses significant challenges and risks to the rescue operation. The earthquake has caused widespread damage across Mandalay, highlighting the scale of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
First Piper 