Yangon, March 29, 2025 – International rescue teams began arriving in Myanmar on Saturday to assist in the search for survivors after a devastating earthquake claimed more than 1,000 lives. The 7.7-magnitude quake has crippled infrastructure in the conflict-ridden Southeast Asian nation.
Myanmar’s military government confirmed 1,002 fatalities on Saturday, a sharp rise from initial reports of 144. The disaster also impacted neighboring Thailand, where nine people died, and a partially constructed skyscraper in Bangkok collapsed, trapping at least 30 people under debris. Authorities reported 49 individuals missing.
The U.S. Geological Service estimated that Myanmar’s death toll could exceed 10,000, with economic losses potentially surpassing the country’s annual GDP. The quake caused widespread destruction, damaging roads, bridges, and buildings. In a rare appeal, Myanmar’s ruling junta called for international aid on Friday.
“Search and rescue operations are currently underway in the affected areas,” state media reported. A Chinese rescue team landed in Yangon, while other devastated areas, including Mandalay and the capital Naypyitaw, struggled to recover. Parts of a 1,000-bed hospital in Naypyitaw were also damaged.
International Relief Efforts Mobilized
Nations including Russia, India, Malaysia, and Singapore have dispatched relief supplies and rescue personnel. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar pledged continued assistance, while South Korea announced an initial $2 million in humanitarian aid. The United States, despite strained relations with Myanmar’s military regime, has also pledged some assistance.
The quake impacted large regions of Myanmar, from the Mandalay plains to the hills of Shan State, some of which remain outside junta control due to ongoing civil conflict. In Mandalay, residents and rescue workers worked tirelessly to pull survivors from collapsed buildings.
Htet Min Oo, 25, was pulled from under a collapsed wall but was unable to rescue his grandmother and two uncles from the debris. “I don’t know if they are still alive,” he said, breaking into tears. “After so long, I don’t think there’s any hope.”
Rescue Efforts Continue in Bangkok
In Bangkok, nearly 1,000 kilometers from the epicenter, search teams intensified efforts to find those trapped beneath a collapsed 33-story tower. Rescuers deployed excavators, drones, and search dogs to locate the 30 trapped individuals, at least 15 of whom showed signs of life.
“We will not give up,” Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt vowed. “We will use every resource to save lives.”
As hundreds of Bangkok residents spent Friday night in parks following the quake, conditions gradually improved by Saturday.
At the collapsed site, Waanpetch Panta and her husband anxiously awaited news of their missing 18-year-old daughter. “I pray she was taken to the hospital already,” she said. “All I can do is wait.”
