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Myanmar Declares Mourning as Quake Toll Surpasses 2,000
Myanmar has declared a week of national mourning after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with the death toll surpassing 2,000 and hopes of finding more survivors fading. National flags will fly at half-mast until April 6 to honor the lives lost and the extensive damage caused by Friday's quake, according to the ruling junta.
Rescue efforts in Mandalay, one of the hardest-hit cities, have slowed, with many now camped on the streets due to the destruction of homes and ongoing aftershocks. "The situation is so dire that it's hard to express what is happening," said Aung Myint Hussein, a local administrator in Mandalay.
The junta reported that 2,056 people have died, with more than 3,900 injured and 270 still missing. Among the victims are three Chinese nationals and two French citizens. The quake also led to at least 19 deaths in Thailand, where a tower under construction collapsed due to the tremors.
With much of Myanmar's communications still down, the full extent of the disaster remains unclear, and the death toll is expected to rise significantly.
In Mandalay, the 1,000-bed general hospital has been evacuated, and patients are now being treated outdoors under makeshift shelters. "We are trying our best," said one medic, as the heat and exhaustion took a toll on both patients and rescuers.
Meanwhile, Mandalay's streets saw some return to normalcy as traffic resumed and vendors reopened their businesses. Hundreds of Muslims gathered at a destroyed mosque to perform the first prayer of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
The humanitarian crisis is deepened by Myanmar's ongoing civil war, which has left the country’s infrastructure and healthcare system severely damaged. The World Health Organization has declared the quake a top-level emergency, urgently requesting $8 million for immediate relief efforts. Additionally, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a $100 million appeal for aid.
For the first time in years, Myanmar's junta has made a rare appeal for international assistance. Aid and rescue teams have begun arriving from countries including China, Russia, and India, with Myanmar's government thanking its allies for their support.
Despite the disaster, reports indicate that the military has continued air strikes on anti-coup fighters, exacerbating the country’s ongoing conflict. Some ethnic armed groups claim that air strikes killed seven of their fighters shortly after the earthquake.
In Bangkok, efforts continue to clear the rubble of a collapsed tower where 12 people have died, and at least 75 remain missing.