BANGKOK: Myanmar’s military rulers allowed hundreds of foreign rescue workers to enter the country on Saturday (March 29) after more than 1,600 people died in an earthquake, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the poor, war-torn nation in years.
The 7.7-magnitude quake on Friday (March 28), among the biggest to jolt the Southeast Asian nation in a century, damaged airports, bridges and highways, adding to the woes of a nation hit by a civil war that has wrecked the economy and displaced millions.
The death toll in Myanmar climbed to 1,644, the military government said on Saturday, reported Reuters.
In neighbouring Thailand, where the quake shook buildings and brought down a skyscraper under construction in the capital, Bangkok, at least nine people were killed.
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Survivors in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-biggest city, dug with their bare hands on Friday in a desperate attempt to save those still trapped as there was a lack of heavy machinery.
Meanwhile, in Bangkok on Saturday, rescue operations continued at the site of a 33-storey tower which collapsed, where 47 people were missing or trapped under the rubble.
The US Geological Service’s predictive modelling estimated that Myanmar’s death toll could exceed 10,000 and losses could exceed the country’s annual economic output.
A day after a rare plea for international assistance, Myanmar’s junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, visited hard-hit Mandalay near the epicentre of the quake, which toppled buildings and started fires in some areas.
“The Chairman of the State Administration Council instructed authorities to expedite search and rescue efforts and address any urgent needs,” the junta stated on state media.
More than 3,400 injured
The earthquake injured more than 3,408 people, and another 139 are missing, according to the State Administration Council. Authorities said about 2,300 buildings collapsed in Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.5 million.
Rescue teams arrived from countries including China, India, and Russia and were heading to Mandalay and the administrative capital Naypyidaw, authorities said. The international airports in the two cities are closed until further notice.
Several countries, including the US, have pledged to send rescue teams and emergency aid in response to the military junta’s rare plea for international help.
“It was a nightmare, I am still scared,” said Kyaw Moe Aung, who witnessed the collapse of a condominium in Mandalay’s Aungmyaythazan township, his home town. “Hundreds of buildings collapsed”, and “there were several aftershocks until late at night,” he said, reported Bloomberg.
Most telephone lines were not working because of a day-long power failure in major cities. Residents in the commercial capital of Yangon were restricted to four hours of electricity a day, according to the Electricity Supply Corporation.
More than 600 monasteries and nearly 300 pagodas in Mandalay were destroyed, as well as 60 schools and three bridges. The quake also damaged parts of the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway and some dams in Upper Myanmar.
Thailand: Tremors in 57 of 77 provinces
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said there were tremors in 57 of the country’s 77 provinces and damages in 13.
The government declared the quake a major disaster.
A building collapsed in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok, as the 7.7 magnitude quake was followed by a 6.4 aftershock.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said a safety audit of government and public buildings had been ordered.
Authorities in the Thai capital opened 11 temporary shelters to accommodate people affected by the quake. The government will provide assistance and financial relief to those affected.
Thailand’s stock and futures exchanges halted trading on Friday because of evacuations following the earthquake. The stock exchange said all activities at its headquarters will be halted till Tuesday.
However, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said businesses have resumed operations and tourist attractions and convention centres are open as usual. Still, as a precaution, there will be regular safety checks, it said in a post on X. /TISG
