Long lines of earthquake victims in Sagaing, Myanmar, for relief. March 31, 2025Photo: Reuters
The country’s junta government has reported the death toll from a powerful earthquake in Myanmar so far at 2,719. Rescue work is underway in the most affected areas. Survivors there urgently need food, water and shelter.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar last Friday.
The country’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing expressed fears in a televised speech on Tuesday that the death toll from the earthquake could exceed 3,000. Another 4,521 people were injured. 441 people are still missing.
This is the most powerful earthquake to hit a Southeast Asian country in more than a century. The earthquake struck at noon local time on Friday. Strong tremors were also felt in countries surrounding Myanmar.
Many buildings and structures built in ancient and modern times have collapsed in Myanmar. A UN official said 50 children and two teachers were killed when a pre-school collapsed in Mandalay.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the hardest-hit areas, such as Mandalay, urgently needed shelter, food, water and medicine.
The epicentre of Friday’s earthquake was Sagaing region, near Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay. “People are living in fear because of the earthquake, people are now afraid of aftershocks. They are spending the night outside on the streets or in open fields,” an IRC worker in Mandalay said.
Myanmar has declared a week of national mourning in memory of those killed in the earthquake. As part of the national mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast until April 6.
In addition, a minute of silence was observed at 12:51 p.m. local time today at the call of the junta government in memory of those killed in the earthquake. A strong earthquake hit Myanmar at this time on Friday.
