Mandalay, March 31, 2025 – Rescuers pulled a woman alive from the rubble of the Great Wall Hotel in Mandalay after 60 hours, bringing a glimmer of hope following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that devastated Myanmar and parts of Thailand, killing nearly 2,000 people.
A joint team of Chinese, Russian, and local rescuers worked for five hours to free the woman, who is in stable condition, according to the Chinese embassy. The earthquake struck on Friday, causing mass destruction near Mandalay, the epicenter.
Rescue Efforts Continue in Thailand
In Bangkok, emergency crews are desperately searching for 76 people trapped under a collapsed under-construction skyscraper. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said weak life signs have been detected, and search teams, including dog sniffers and machines, are working around the clock. Thailand’s official death toll stands at 18, but numbers could rise.
Rising Death Toll and Humanitarian Crisis
In Myanmar, state media has confirmed at least 1,700 deaths, while the Wall Street Journal reported 2,028 casualties. The United Nations is rushing aid to 23,000 survivors, with teams in Mandalay struggling to scale up relief efforts.
India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia have dispatched relief supplies and rescue teams. The United States pledged $2 million in aid, with USAID deploying emergency teams despite budget cuts under the Trump administration.
Quake Amid Civil War and Airstrikes
The earthquake has worsened Myanmar’s crisis, which has been engulfed in civil war since the 2021 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Reports indicate that Myanmar’s military continues to conduct airstrikes on villages, even as humanitarian efforts struggle.
Damaged bridges, highways, airports, and railways have slowed relief operations, while the ongoing conflict has displaced 3.5 million people and crippled Myanmar’s healthcare system. Singapore’s foreign minister has called for an immediate ceasefire to allow unhindered aid delivery.
