Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises Above 2,700
Myanmar’s ruling leader said the death toll from last week’s devastating earthquake has risen to 2,719 and could soon surpass 3,000, as the country paused Monday to honor the victims.
Speaking on April 1, General Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s military government, confirmed 2,719 people were killed, 4,521 injured, and more than 400 still missing after the 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on March 28.
State newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that among the dead were roughly 500 worshippers who were inside mosques during Friday prayers when the earthquake hit.
Min Aung Hlaing warned the death toll may climb to 3,000 as rescue teams continue to reach isolated towns and villages cut off by the disaster.
The country observed a moment of silence at precisely 12:51:02 p.m. local time — the exact moment the earthquake struck — with air raid sirens and horns sounding nationwide. For one minute, daily activities came to a standstill in remembrance of the lives lost.
At the Sky Villa apartment complex in Mandalay, one of the worst-hit sites, rescue workers halted operations, stood in silence, and clasped their hands behind their backs in tribute to the victims.
The government has declared a national week of mourning through April 6 “to grieve the loss of life and damage to the nation.”
Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city and home to more than 1.7 million people, suffered severe destruction. Entire residential buildings collapsed, and hundreds of bodies have been brought to crematoriums on the city’s outskirts.
Four days after the quake, many residents are still sleeping outdoors — either because their homes were destroyed or out of fear of aftershocks. “I don’t feel safe,” said Soe Tint, a local watch repairman. “There are six- or seven-story buildings leaning dangerously near my house that could collapse anytime.”
Some residents have tents, but many — including infants and young children — are sleeping on mats laid out in the streets.
More than 1,000 international rescue personnel have arrived in Myanmar to aid relief efforts. Local media say about 650 people have been pulled alive from collapsed buildings across the country. International aid has begun to flow in, with donors pledging up to $100 million in assistance.
In neighboring Thailand, officials in Bangkok reported 20 deaths linked to the quake, mostly construction workers killed when a 30-story high-rise under construction collapsed.
(Sources: Reuters, CCTV)
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