Myanmar, Thailand Rescuers in Urgent Race to Aid Earthquake Victims

NAYPYIDAW, March 29 — Rescuers worked tirelessly through the rubble of collapsed buildings on Saturday, urgently searching for survivors after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand, killing more than 150 people.

The powerful 7.7-magnitude quake hit northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar, in the early afternoon, followed by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock minutes later. The quake wreaked havoc, destroying buildings, downing bridges, and buckling roads across large parts of Myanmar, with the second-largest city, Mandalay, reporting severe damage.

According to Myanmar’s junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing, at least 144 people were confirmed dead and over 700 injured. However, with communication disrupted, the full extent of the disaster is still unclear in the isolated military-ruled nation. Geologists noted that this was the largest earthquake to hit Myanmar in over a century, with the tremors powerful enough to cause significant damage in Bangkok, hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter.

In Thailand, rescuers continued to search through the night for workers trapped when a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed in Bangkok, instantly reduced to a heap of rubble and twisted metal by the quake. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed that around 10 people had been killed, mostly in the skyscraper collapse, with up to 100 workers still unaccounted for.

“We are doing our best with the resources we have because every life matters,” Chadchart said, adding that the city’s priority was to act quickly to rescue everyone. Authorities also announced that more than 100 engineers would be sent to inspect damaged buildings after over 2,000 reports were filed.

In Bangkok, where significant quakes are rare, the tremors caused panic, sending people rushing into the streets. Although there was no widespread destruction, dramatic scenes emerged, including rooftop swimming pools spilling over the sides of tall apartment blocks and hotels. Some hospitals had to be evacuated, and one woman delivered her baby outdoors after being moved from a hospital building. A surgeon also continued operating outside after evacuating patients.

Rare Appeal for International Aid from Myanmar's Junta

The situation in Myanmar, already ravaged by four years of civil war and the military coup, has worsened the country’s capacity to respond to such disasters. In an unprecedented move, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing made a rare plea for international aid, highlighting the magnitude of the catastrophe. Previous military regimes had shunned foreign assistance even after significant natural disasters.

Myanmar declared a state of emergency across the six worst-hit regions following the quake. In Naypyidaw, a major hospital was overwhelmed, forcing medics to treat the injured outdoors in a makeshift "mass casualty area." One doctor described the scene as unprecedented and expressed exhaustion from the overwhelming workload.

Mandalay, with a population of over 1.7 million, seemed to have been particularly hard-hit, with numerous buildings reduced to rubble. Residents reported that both a hospital and a hotel had been destroyed, and there was a severe shortage of rescue personnel.

International offers of assistance began to pour in, with U.S. President Donald Trump pledging aid. “It’s terrible,” Trump said about the quake. “It’s a real bad one, and we will be helping. We’ve already spoken with the country.” India, France, and the European Union also offered support, while the World Health Organization (WHO) said it was mobilizing trauma supplies for the affected areas. — AFP

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