Bangkok — The demise toll from a robust 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar jumped to just about 700 on Saturday as extra our bodies have been pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck close to the nation’s second-largest metropolis.
State-run tv MRTV reported that 694 individuals have now been discovered lifeless and one other 1,670 injured, with 68 others lacking, based on an announcement from the military-led authorities. The identical figures have been additionally reported by the impartial information website The Irrawaddy.
Myanmar is within the throes of a protracted and bloody civil conflict, which is already accountable for a large humanitarian disaster. It makes motion across the nation each troublesome and harmful, complicating aid efforts and elevating fears that the demise toll might nonetheless rise precipitously.
A automobile is crushed beneath a collapsed constructing in Mandalay on March 28, 2025, after an earthquake in central Myanmar. A strong earthquake rocked central Myanmar on March 28, buckling roads in capital Naypyidaw, damaging buildings and forcing individuals to flee into the streets in neighbouring Thailand.
STR/AFP through Getty Photos
The earthquake struck noon Friday with an epicenter not removed from Mandalay, adopted by a number of aftershocks together with one measuring a powerful 6.4 magnitude. It despatched buildings in lots of areas toppling to the bottom, buckled roads, brought on bridges to break down and burst a dam.
The pinnacle of Myanmar’s army authorities, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, mentioned in a uncommon tv broadcast Friday that the demise toll was anticipated to rise as he reported an preliminary 144 individuals discovered lifeless.
In neighboring Thailand, the quake rocked the larger Bangkok space, house to some 17 million individuals — lots of whom reside in high-rise buildings — and different elements of the nation.
Bangkok metropolis authorities mentioned up to now six individuals have been discovered lifeless, 26 injured and 47 are nonetheless lacking, most from a development website close to the capital’s well-liked Chatuchak market.
Rescue and clearance operations start in full pressure on the website of the Chattuchak skyscraper collapse on March 29, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Within the aftermath of the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar, Bangkok finds itself in an unprecedented state of paralysis in Friday night.
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When the quake hit, the 33-story high-rise being constructed by a Chinese language agency for the Thai authorities wobbled, then got here crashing to the bottom in a large plume of mud that despatched individuals screaming and fleeing from the scene.
President Trump on Friday vowed america would help Myanmar after an enormous earthquake hit the nation, the AFP reported, following a uncommon plea for help by the Southeast Asian nation’s ruling junta.
Mr. Trump instructed reporters within the Oval Workplace he’d already spoken to the nation and “It is an actual dangerous one, and we might be serving to.”
A hospital within the Naypyitaw was struggling to cope with mass casualties after sustaining critical injury within the quake.
Survivors look ahead to medical consideration outdoors a hospital in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on March 28, 2025, after a robust earthquake hit the area.
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The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ heart for geosciences mentioned the primary quake had a magnitude of seven.7 and was on the comparatively shallow depth of about 6 miles. Its epicenter was in Myanmar, based on preliminary experiences, close to town of Mandalay. An aftershock with a magnitude of 6.4 shook the area 12 minutes later.
Destruction in Myanmar
Myanmar is within the midst of a civil conflict and lots of areas usually are not simply accessible. Images from Naypyidaw confirmed a number of buildings used to deal with civil servants destroyed by the quake, and rescue crews pulling victims from the rubble.
The federal government mentioned blood was in excessive demand within the hardest-hit areas. Photos of buckled and cracked roads in Mandalay and broken highways in addition to the collapse of a bridge and dam raised additional issues about how rescuers would even attain some areas in a rustic already enduring a widespread humanitarian disaster.
It was not instantly clear what aid efforts the ruling army regime would be capable of present, but it surely issued appeals for any assist accessible, together with blood provides, from the worldwide neighborhood. The most important hospital within the nation’s capital that sustained vital injury was described as a mass casualty space, as medics raced to deal with the wounded in an out of doors triage space.
The severely broken emergency division of a hospital in Naypyidaw, Myanmar is seen on March 28, 2025, after a large earthquake hit central Myanmar.
SEBASTIEN BERGER/AFP/Getty
The hospital’s emergency division was closely broken, and pictures confirmed a automobile crushed beneath the concrete roof that had lined its entrance.
“Many injured individuals have been arriving, I have never seen something like this earlier than,” a health care provider on the facility instructed AFP. “We try to deal with the scenario. I am so exhausted.”
AFP journalists on the scene mentioned individuals have been crying in ache and others lay nonetheless as family tried to supply consolation.
“A whole lot of injured persons are arriving… however the emergency constructing right here additionally collapsed,” safety officers on the hospital instructed AFP.
Medical employees transport an earthquake casualty on the grounds of a hospital in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, March 28, 2025, after a robust quake struck the area.
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The highly effective temblor broken a part of the previous royal palace in Mandalay and different buildings, based on movies and photographs posted to social media.
Within the Sagaing area simply southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and a few sections of the freeway connecting Mandalay and Myanmar’s largest metropolis, Yangon, have been additionally broken.
A workforce of AFP journalists was on the Nationwide Museum in Naypyidaw when the primary temblor hit, and so they mentioned items fell from the ceiling because the constructing started shaking, and close by roads buckled.
Beneath-construction skyscraper collapses in Bangkok
In densely populated Bangkok, the quakes set tall buildings swaying and prompted hundreds of individuals to pour into streets throughout town. Buying and selling was halted on the inventory alternate and public transport networks shut down within the Thai capital.
The collapsed constructing was being constructed by the China Railway Development Company for Thailand’s authorities auditor basic.
Movies posted on social media confirmed the second the 33-story high-rise got here tumbling down, sending a large cloud of mud into the air as employees ran away from the positioning.
Rescue employee Songwut Wangpon instructed reporters that seven individuals have been discovered alive, as he spoke subsequent to the tall pile of rubble that was as soon as the unfinished constructing close to Bangkok’s well-liked Chatuchak Market.
An injured man is rescued from a development website the place a constructing collapsed in Bangkok, Thailand, March 28, 2025, after a robust earthquake hit the area.
LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/Getty
Water from high-rise rooftop swimming pools in Bangkok sloshed over the perimeters of the buildings as they shook from the primary quake, and particles fell from many skyscrapers.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra referred to as an emergency assembly to evaluate the impression of the temblors.
The larger Bangkok space is house to greater than 17 million individuals, lots of whom reside in high-rise flats.
Alarms went off in buildings when the primary quake hit round 1:30 p.m., and startled residents have been evacuated down staircases of high-rise condominiums and lodges in densely populated central Bangkok.
Rescue groups are seen at a development website the place a constructing collapsed in Bangkok on March 28, 2025, after an earthquake.
LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA / AFP through Getty Photos
They remained within the streets, looking for shade from the noon solar within the minutes after the primary quake, and have been cautioned to remain outdoors in case there have been extra aftershocks.
“Impulsively the entire constructing started to maneuver, instantly there was screaming and quite a lot of panic,” mentioned Fraser Morton, a vacationer from Scotland, who was in considered one of Bangkok’s many malls looking for digicam gear.
“I simply began strolling calmly at first however then the constructing began actually shifting, yeah, quite a lot of screaming, quite a lot of panic, individuals working the incorrect means down the escalators, plenty of banging and crashing contained in the mall.”
Individuals in Bangkok who evacuated buildings and their houses stand on a avenue within the heart of town after a powerful earthquake on March 28, 2025.
Carola Frentzen / dpa / image alliance through Getty Photos
Like hundreds of others in downtown Bangkok, Morton sought refuge in Benjasiri Park — away from the tall buildings throughout.
“I acquired outdoors after which appeared up on the constructing and the entire constructing was shifting, mud and particles, it was fairly intense,” he mentioned. “A number of chaos.”
Thailand’s Division of Catastrophe Prevention mentioned the primary quake was felt in virtually all areas of the nation.