KUALA LUMPUR — The death toll in Myanmar has risen to at least 1,002 following yesterday’s powerful earthquake that was felt in as far as Bangkok, Thailand, and parts of southern China.
Myanmar’s state broadcaster MRTV said another 2,376 people are injured, and these figures are for “all earthquake-affected areas nationwide”.
The military junta government in a statement published earlier by state media said search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas.
“Infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings were affected, leading to casualties and injuries among civilians,” it added.
The 7.7-magnitude quake’s epicentre was Sagaing region in central Myanmar, close to Mandalay, the country’s second most populous city with about 1.5 million people and which has sustained substantial damage.
CNN reported Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on a visit to Mandalay today where he made a “rare appeal” for foreign aid.
Reuters also reported the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) analysis, based on its predictive modelling, that estimates the death toll could exceed 10,000 people.
According to the USGS website, there were at least 14 aftershocks over several hours after the initial earthquake. It said the locations of some of the aftershocks formed a line northwards and southwards from the epicentre.
Myanmar has been in the grip of civil war since a 2021 military coup and aid workers fear that weak infrastructure and communication blackouts in some areas as a result of fighting will hamper efforts to reach people affected by the earthquake.
International assistance has begun pouring in, and Malaysia is sending today an initial team of 10 personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) for ground assessment, to be followed by a larger team of 40 personnel to aid in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts tomorrow.
In a message shared on yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed deep concern over the devastation and extended condolences to the victims and their families, as well as reaffirmed Malaysia’s solidarity with Asean neighbours and its readiness to support humanitarian and recovery efforts. – March 29, 2025