The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Myanmar has climbed to over 2,700, with aid organizations warning of an urgent need for shelter, food, and water in the hardest-hit areas. The ongoing civil war in the country is further complicating relief efforts, making it difficult to reach those in desperate need.
In a televised address on Tuesday (April 1), Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing confirmed that 2,719 people had died, with the number expected to exceed 3,000. He also reported 4,521 injuries and 441 missing persons.
The powerful 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar around midday on Friday, making it the strongest in more than a century. The disaster toppled both ancient pagodas and modern buildings, leaving widespread devastation.
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Civil War
In Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 50 children and two teachers were killed when their preschool collapsed. The organization highlighted the dire conditions in affected communities, where access to clean water and sanitation remains a significant challenge. Emergency teams are working around the clock to find survivors and provide essential aid.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) emphasized the urgent need for shelter, food, water, and medical assistance, particularly in Mandalay and other areas near the quake’s epicenter. Many residents, fearing aftershocks, have been sleeping outdoors in open fields and along roads.
However, Myanmar’s ongoing civil war has severely hindered relief efforts. Since the military seized power in a coup in 2021, conflict has raged across the country, complicating humanitarian access. Rebel groups have accused the military of conducting airstrikes even after the earthquake.
Amnesty International has called on the junta to allow aid to reach all affected regions, including those controlled by opposition forces. “Myanmar’s military has a longstanding practice of denying aid to areas where resistance groups operate,” said Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman. “They must immediately permit unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations and remove bureaucratic barriers delaying relief efforts.”
The destruction of roads, bridges, and communication networks has further hampered aid delivery, making coordination and response efforts even more challenging.
Rescue Operations in Thailand
In neighboring Thailand, rescue teams are still searching for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok, though hopes are fading.
"There are about 70 bodies trapped underneath, and we can only hope that, by some miracle, one or two people are still alive," said volunteer rescue leader Bin Bunluerit.
Scanners have detected six human-shaped figures in the debris, but no movement or vital signs have been recorded, according to Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej. International rescue teams from the U.S. and Israel are assisting in recovery efforts.
Thirteen deaths have been confirmed at the site, with 74 people still missing. Thailand’s overall death toll from the quake has risen to 20.
Investigations into the collapse have revealed that some steel samples taken from the building site were of substandard quality, according to Thai industry ministry officials. The government has launched a formal inquiry into the cause of the disaster.
Meanwhile, a regional summit in Bangkok, scheduled for April 3-4, will proceed as planned. Although Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was initially expected to attend in person, he may now participate via teleconference due to the disaster.
