Burma: The death toll from last week's powerful earthquake in Myanmar has climbed past 3,000, with hundreds still missing, while upcoming unseasonal rains are expected to complicate ongoing rescue operations in a nation already struggling with civil conflict.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck on Friday, was one of the strongest to hit Myanmar in a century. It devastated areas housing around 28 million people, causing widespread destruction, collapsing buildings, and leaving thousands without essential resources like food, water, and shelter.
As of Wednesday, the number of confirmed fatalities had risen to 3,003, with 4,515 people injured and 351 reported missing, according to a Facebook post by Myanmar’s embassy in Japan. Search and rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate survivors.
However, relief efforts may soon face additional challenges, as meteorologists predict rainfall from Sunday through April 11 in some of the most affected regions, including Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyidaw.
International support has been mobilized, with 53 aid flights arriving in Myanmar so far, and over 1,900 rescue personnel from 15 countries—among them China, India, and Russia—joining relief efforts.
Despite the disaster, Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, is set to leave the country on Thursday for a rare visit to a regional summit in Bangkok, state media reported. This trip is notable given the general’s international isolation, as he faces Western sanctions and an investigation by the International Criminal Court.
Meanwhile, the military government declared a 20-day unilateral ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid but warned that it would retaliate if rebel forces launched attacks. The announcement follows a ceasefire declaration from a major rebel alliance on Tuesday to support relief efforts.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military took control in a 2021 coup, overthrowing the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, the country has faced international sanctions, economic collapse, and a breakdown of essential services, including healthcare.
Beyond Myanmar, the earthquake's impact has been felt in neighboring Thailand, where a building under construction in Bangkok collapsed, leaving a massive pile of debris. Rescue teams are still searching through 100 tons of concrete for survivors, with 72 people missing and 15 confirmed dead. Thailand’s nationwide death toll from the quake stands at 22.
