Hospitals in Myanmar are overwhelmed with the influx of patients after the country’s most powerful earthquake in a century.
At least 1,644 people have died in Myanmar and the toll is expected to rise further, with 3,400 injured and dozens still missing in a country already ravaged by a four-year civil war.
In Bangkok, rescuers are searching for 83 people missing after the earthquake, including those trapped in the rubble of an under-construction skyscraper.
Rescuers have warned that a critical survival window of 72 hours in which to find people alive is closing.
Authorities have still not reached many areas of Myanmar and most rescue efforts there have been undertaken by local people working by hand to clear rubble, said Cara Bragg, the Yangon-based manager of Catholic Relief Services in Myanmar.
She warned of a shortage of medical supplies, and said people are struggling to find food and clean water.
Myanmar’s National United Government, an opposition government coordinating the rebel war effort from exile, said it would order a two-week unilateral ceasefire from Sunday so as not to impede rescue efforts.
But the ruling military junta has continued to conduct airstrikes this weekend despite the unfolding disaster.
Thailand orders probe into Bangkok skyscraper collapse
The Thai government has ordered a thorough investigation into the collapse of the 33-storey building during the powerful earthquake.
The Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning (DPT) has been tasked with leading the inquiry of the under construction State Audit Office’s building.
Prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated in a media interview that a committee will determine the cause of the structural failure and submit a report within a week, according to Bangkok Post.
The investigation will focus on key aspects, including the building’s design, the authority responsible for approving it, and whether any flaws in these processes contributed to the collapse.
Ms Shinawatra said she had never seen anything like this in her experience in the construction industry.
“I watched multiple clips of the building collapse from different angles. From my experience in the construction industry, I have never seen an issue like this. We must investigate thoroughly because a significant portion of the budget was allocated, and the deadline for completion had been extended,” she said.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 08:30
Pope, recovering from pneumonia, prays for quake-hit Southeast Asia
Pope Francis, recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia, has offered prayers for the victims of a devastating earthquake that struck Southeast Asia.
“The pope has been informed of the disaster in Myanmar and is praying for the dramatic situation and for the many victims, also in Thailand,” the Vatican said in a statement.
Since returning to the Vatican on Sunday, the 88-year-old pontiff has been undergoing physical and respiratory therapy, showing slight improvements in his speech and mobility.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 08:00
Myanmar earthquake survivors dig through rubble with bare hands as death toll soars past 1,600
The official death toll in Myanmar soared to 1,644 but was expected to continue rising, as a country already ravaged by civil war struggled to come to terms with the devastation centred on Mandalay, its second-biggest city and a former capital.
Power supplies across the country have been affected, and with no access to heavy machinery or immediate help from the military junta, local residents and volunteer rescue workers struggled to reach victims buried under the wreckage.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 07:00
Airport control tower collapsed in Myanmar, satellite image shows
Satellite images showed that the air traffic control tower at Myanmar’s Naypyidaw International Airport collapsed in the powerful earthquake.
Caritas Australia, an NGO with partners in Myanmar, also confirmed that the control tower collapsed and a staff member has been killed.
Naypyidaw International Airport is one of the major airports in Myanmar that primarily serves government officials, diplomats, and domestic flights, with limited international connectivity.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 06:30
Aerial images show the scale of destruction after deadiest earthquake in decades
Satellite and aerial images showed the extent of destruction in Myanmar after the deadliest earthquake in decades struck the civil-war torn country.
Several Buddhist temples, some dating back centuries, were either destroyed or severely damaged in the earthquake.
The Ava bridge built by the Britishers near Mandalay collapsed into the Irrawaddy river.
Below are images showing the extent of the devastation.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 05:33
Robots, dogs, drones used in search for survivors in high-rise collapse
Rescue teams in Bangkok are deploying advanced technology, including drones, robots, and search dogs, in their efforts to locate survivors after the collapse of a high-rise building.
Search dogs have already combed through the rubble, while drones and robots continue to assist in identifying trapped individuals amid the debris.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced that X-ray machinery from Israel was expected to arrive overnight to enhance the search operation.
K9 dogs, or specially trained search-and-rescue dogs, are used in disaster response to locate survivors trapped under rubble.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 05:22
12 Chinese nationals injured in Myanmar earthquake
At least 12 Chinese nationals have been confirmed injured in Myanmar following the earthquake, according to state media.
More details are awaited.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 05:00
UN says relief work is hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure
Humanitarian operations in Myanmar have been hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday severely damaged critical infrastructure, including major bridges and roads, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to access areas in need, OCHA said.
“Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations”, the UN agency said in a statement.
Hospitals in central and northwestern Myanmar are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the earthquake, the agency stated.
Seventeen cargo trucks of shelter and medical supplies are due to arrive on 30 March, to address current shortages of medicines, including blood bags and anaesthetics.
Myanmar’s military rulers let in hundreds of foreign rescue personnel on Saturday after the earthquake killed more than 1,600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished, war-torn country in years.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 05:00
UN says relief work is hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure
Humanitarian operations in Myanmar have been hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday severely damaged critical infrastructure, including major bridges and roads, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to access areas in need, OCHA said.
“Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations”, the UN agency said in a statement.
Hospitals in central and northwestern Myanmar are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the earthquake, the agency stated.
Seventeen cargo trucks of shelter and medical supplies were due to arrive today to address the current shortages of medicines, including blood bags and anaesthetics.
Myanmar’s military rulers let in hundreds of foreign rescue personnel on Saturday after the earthquake killed more than 1,600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished, war-torn country in years.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 04:50
Rescue efforts continue for those missing under Bangkok high rise collapse
Crews worked the second night in a row to recover those trapped inside the rubble of a collapsed under-construction high-rise after the powerful earthquake.
At least 17 people have died in Bangkok, and 83 are still unaccounted for.
Rescue teams working at the collapsed high-rise building recovered 12 bodies late on Saturday evening after some officials said vital signs were still being detected from the rubble.
“Rescue time is set at 72 hours, as [starvation] and dehydration are possible. Victims risk shock and death if rescue takes longer,” said Suriyan Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department.
Shweta Sharma30 March 2025 04:37
