Deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastates Myanmar, over 140 dead

BANGKOK. A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, claiming the lives of more than 140 people, with the death toll expected to rise. The massive tremor wreaked havoc across a wide area, toppling buildings and infrastructure, including a skyscraper under construction in neighboring Thailand.

The hardest-hit area was Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, located near the quake’s epicenter. The disaster struck around midday, followed by a powerful aftershock and several moderate tremors.

Widespread Devastation in Mandalay

A rescue worker in Amarapura, a historic city now part of Mandalay, reported that at least 30 bodies had been recovered from collapsed multi-story apartment buildings.

“I have never experienced anything like this before—our town looks like a collapsed city,” he said, estimating that about a fifth of the buildings were destroyed. “We received calls for help from people trapped inside, but we cannot assist them because we lack the manpower and machinery to remove the debris. But we will not stop working.”

Myanmar’s military leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, warned of more deaths and casualties, urging international aid. “Any country willing to help is welcome to provide assistance and donations,” he stated.

International Response

Speaking at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration would be sending aid. “We’re going to be helping,” he told reporters. Despite the administration’s efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce assured that disaster experts were on standby to deliver humanitarian aid, including food and potable water.

“USAID has maintained a team of disaster experts with the capacity to respond if disaster strikes,” Bruce said in a press briefing. “We are ready to move now. There has been no impact on our ability to perform those duties, those requests for aid, if and when they come in.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also announced that the U.N. was mobilizing resources in Southeast Asia to support relief efforts.

Monks and Residents Trapped Under Rubble

Mandalay, home to approximately 1.5 million people, is the country’s ancient royal capital and a significant Buddhist center. Rescue workers were struggling to reach dozens of monks trapped beneath the rubble of the Phaya Taung Monastery.

State-run MRTV reported that at least 144 people were confirmed dead, with 732 others injured. The situation is further complicated by Myanmar’s ongoing internal conflict, where the ruling junta is battling insurgents, potentially hindering rescue and relief efforts.

“We all ran out of the house as everything started shaking,” a Mandalay resident recounted. “I witnessed a five-story building collapse before my eyes. Everyone in my town is out on the road, and no one dares to go back inside.”

Damage Across Myanmar and Thailand

The earthquake’s devastation extended beyond Mandalay. A rescue worker from the Moe Saydanar charity reported that at least 60 bodies were recovered from monasteries and buildings in Pyinmana, near the capital Naypyidaw, where a 1,000-bed hospital suffered significant damage.

In Taungoo, three people died when a mosque partially collapsed. “We were saying prayers when the shaking started… Three died on the spot,” a witness said.

A hotel in Aung Ban, Shan State, crumbled into rubble, with the Democratic Voice of Burma reporting at least two dead and 20 trapped inside.

In Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, at least nine people were killed when a high-rise building collapsed. The city’s deputy governor, Tavida Kamolvej, confirmed that eight died in the collapse, while another person died at a separate location. Rescuers continued searching for over 100 missing persons.

Impact on Infrastructure and Emergency Response

A U.S. government analysis predicted thousands of deaths and severe economic losses, with the Sagaing and Meiktila regions among the worst affected. State media reported that buildings collapsed in at least five cities and towns, along with a railway bridge and a section of the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway. Images showed the iconic Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River partially destroyed, with its arches leaning into the water.

A Mandalay resident described the widespread destruction: “The entire city is affected, and one neighborhood, Sein Pan, is on fire. Roads are damaged, phone lines are down, and we have no electricity.”

Amnesty International called the earthquake “a catastrophe at the worst possible time,” citing Myanmar’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, the large number of displaced people, and cuts to U.S. aid under the Trump administration.

Since the 2021 coup that ousted the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has struggled with economic decline and collapsing public services. Armed resistance has seized large territories, further complicating disaster relief efforts.

Myanmar, situated on a major tectonic fault line, is among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. Given the nation’s ongoing political and humanitarian crisis, experts fear the junta will be unable to respond to the disaster adequately.

“Myanmar is wholly unable to deal with the shock and its aftermath,” said Nyi Nyi Kyaw, a Myanmar academic at the University of Bristol.

Ongoing Rescue Efforts

Despite damaged roads and communication disruptions, rescue operations continue in Mandalay and surrounding areas. The full scale of destruction remains unclear due to restricted media access, but authorities fear the death toll will continue to rise in the coming days.

As Myanmar grapples with the aftermath of this devastating earthquake, humanitarian organizations, neighboring countries, and local communities are racing against time to provide aid to the affected population.