Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 1,644
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar has risen to 1,644, with 3,408 people injured and 139 still missing, according to a statement released by the junta on Saturday night. The number is expected to rise as rescuers race against time in search of survivors in the ruins. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake caused widespread destruction across Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe, Bago, Naypyitaw and parts of northeastern Shan State. Many affected areas remain in urgent need of assistance.
Senior officials at Labor, Foreign ministries killed, injured in quake
Several senior officials from Myanmar’s ministries of Labor and Foreign Affairs were killed or injured in Friday’s powerful earthquake that struck near Sagaing and impacted the capital Naypyitaw.
U Nyunt Win, a retired lieutenant colonel who served as permanent secretary of the Labor Ministry, was killed and some of his colleagues including the minister and deputy minister and several staff sustained injuries, according to a ministry source. The earthquake struck while a meeting was in progress at the ministry, causing the meeting room’s ceiling to collapse. The permanent secretary was fatally struck by falling debris.
The earthquake also caused the collapse of a department building at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, killing a director-level official and injuring several staff members.
Buildings at several other ministeries and a government housing complex were also damaged in the earthquake, injuring multiple occupants. Many affected employees have taken refuge in nearby monasteries.
International rescue teams began arriving Saturday, initiating relief operations. However, urgent assistance is still needed in many affected areas.
Singapore’s Operation Lionheart rescue team arrives in Naypyitaw
The 80-member Operation Lionheart (OLH) contingent of the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) arrived in Naypyitaw at about 7:30 p.m. Saturday to conduct a rescue operation for earthquake victims.
Naypyitaw is among the hardest-hit areas, with a high number of casualties expected. As one of the first international rescue teams on the ground, OLH was due be deployed to affected areas early Sunday to begin search and rescue operations, the SCDF said.
Hundreds of Muslims killed when quake toppled mosques
The estimated death toll among Myanmar’s Muslim community from Friday’s earthquake rose to around 570 on Sunday, with nearly 50 old mosques in Mandalay and Sagaing regions having collapsed. The toll is expected to increase, as the quake occurred during Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan; and because information has been slow getting through due to disruptions to communications networks. Many of the mosques that collapsed in Mandalay were constructed during the time of King Mindon (1808-1878), and successive governments have failed to make necessary repairs, members of the community said.
Thai quake-relief task force arrives in Myanmar
A 55-member Thai military task force arrived in Myanmar on Sunday to provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief for Myanmar and assist Thai nationals affected by Friday’s devastating earthquake in Naypyitaw and Mandalay, the Thai Embassy in Yangon said.
The task force comprises specialized teams including a command unit, an urban search and rescue team, an emergency medical assistance team, a damage assessment team and a communications team, according to the embassy. “Despite also being affected by the earthquake, as a close neighbor, Thailand extends its deepest condolences to the victims, the injured, and those still missing,” it said, adding that Thailand stands ready to assist Myanmar “in every possible way”.
Myanmar’s civilian NUG announces military pause for quake response
Myanmar’s civilian National Unity Government (NUG) has announced a temporary halt to offensive military operations in areas affected by the devastating 7.7-magnitude quake that struck northwest of Sagaing on Friday, in order to allow for humanitarian relief and rescue efforts.
The disaster caused widespread destruction and has officially claimed at least 1,644 lives across multiple regions and states including Sagaing, Mandalay, Bago, Naypyitaw, Magwe and southern Shan, with the death toll expected to climb dramatically and tens of thousands reported injured.
In response, to allow for rescue efforts in quake-hit areas, the NUG’s Ministry of Defense declared a two-week pause in offensive operations in those areas “and related districts” by its armed wing the People’s Defense Force (PDF) starting Sunday, except for defensive actions.
The NUG also urged the United Nations, international relief agencies and humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance and medical support to earthquake victims, offering to cooperate with them and guaranteeing security in areas under its control.
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Dire situation reported in Sagaing; rescue and relief teams badly needed
Rescue and relief operations are urgently needed in Sagaing Region’s Sagaing town, where hundreds are feared dead and almost all buildings have collapsed following Friday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake, according to the anti-regime Sagaing Federal Unit.
The many dead bodies still in the rubble are beginning to give off foul odors, raising health concerns. Outside rescue teams can’t reach Sagaing as many roads and bridges between Mandalay and Sagaing were badly damaged by the quake. Monasteries and nunneries in the Sagaing Hills also need emergency relief supplies. As of Saturday more than 100 bodies had been recovered and cremated in Sagaing. Public hospitals are also overcrowded with patients.
S.Korea provides $2 million in aid to Myanmar quake relief
South Korea will provide US$2 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday. Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that the aid would be channeled through international organizations to swiftly assist with the earthquake relief efforts.
The ministry expressed hope that the aid would contribute to saving lives in the affected areas, and noted that it will closely monitor the situation to consider additional support if necessary.
Junta military continues to bomb quake-devastated Sagaing, Shan
Despite the devastating earthquake that rocked Myanmar on Friday, the regime carried out aerial bombing raids on Pauk Township in the resistance stronghold of Sagaing Region—the region is also where the epicenter of the earthquake was located—and Ta’ang National Liberation Army-controlled Nawnghkio Township in northern Shan State on Sunday. The extent of the damage and casualties is unknown as communications are down. The regime on Friday carried out an airstike on Nawnghkio in the immediate aftermath of the quake.
UK announces £10 million for Myanmar quake relief
The UK pledged 10 million euros (US$12.9 million) in humanitarian aid for Myanmar on Saturday after Friday’s earthquake killed more than 1,600 people and caused widespread damage in the war-torn country.
“This UK funding will increase support in the hardest-hit areas of the earthquake and [is] geared towards food and water supplies, medicine, and shelter,” the UK Foreign Office said in a statement. UK-funded local partners are already mobilizing a humanitarian response on the ground, said Development Minister Baroness Chapman. The UK government offered sympathies to the people of Myanmar in the statement.
Bangladesh sends relief materials to aid Myanmar quake victims
Bangladesh dispatched two military aircraft on Sunday carrying essential relief materials including medicines, tents and dry food to Myanmar in response to the devastating earthquake that struck the country on Friday.
According to Bangladesh’s Inter-Services Public Relations, the country’s military sent an air force C-130J aircraft and an army aviation CASA C-295W plane. Both aircraft departed from the Bangladesh Air Force Base in Kurmitola on Sunday, delivering emergency aid to Yangon.
Additionally, a rescue team and two medical teams are on standby, ready to be deployed based on Myanmar’s requirements. Officials stated that a 20-member expert search and rescue team from the Bangladesh Army, along with a 10-member rescue team from the Fire Service and Civil Defense department, would be sent soon to support relief operations.
Furthermore, a 10-member medical team from the Bangladesh Army and another 10-member team comprising civilian doctors have been assembled to provide medical assistance to affected communities.
The earthquake, which measured 7.7 on the Richter scale, caused widespread devastation across Myanmar and Thailand, with Myanmar reporting over 1,600 fatalities as of Sunday morning.
A ceremony was held to mark the departure of the relief aircraft, attended by Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker Uz Zaman, along with senior officials from the army, navy and air force.
