BANGKOK. Rescue teams have detected signs of life in the wreckage of an unfinished skyscraper in Bangkok, three days after a powerful earthquake devastated parts of Southeast Asia, leaving at least 2,000 dead.
Emergency teams deployed scanning machines and sniffer dogs to locate possible survivors trapped in the rubble. Bangkok’s Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej confirmed the discovery and emphasized the urgency of the situation. “We have to speed up. We’re not going to stop even after 72 hours,” she stated, acknowledging that survival chances significantly decrease after three days.
Meanwhile, in central Myanmar, rescue workers managed to free four individuals, including a pregnant woman and a young girl, from collapsed structures in Mandalay, near the epicenter of Friday’s 7.7-magnitude quake. Chinese rescue teams, wearing red helmets, carried one survivor wrapped in a metallic thermal blanket through piles of shattered concrete and twisted metal, as seen in footage aired by China’s state broadcaster CCTV.
Drone images revealed extensive damage in Mandalay, where a massive multi-story building had pancaked, though some gilded temples remained intact. Myanmar’s ongoing civil war, following the 2021 military coup, has further complicated relief efforts. Arnaud de Baecque, resident representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Myanmar, noted the security risks in reaching affected areas. “Access to all victims is an issue… There are a lot of security issues to access some areas across the front lines in particular,” he told Reuters.
One survivor in Mandalay recounted his harrowing ordeal. After being rescued from the rubble of his restaurant, he rented a bulldozer to locate the body of one of his workers and ensure the safety of his neighbors.
Bangkok Building Collapse Claims More Lives
In Bangkok, rescuers recovered another body from the collapsed high-rise, bringing the building’s death toll to 12. Across Thailand, the quake has claimed 19 lives, with 75 workers still unaccounted for at the construction site.
Preliminary tests on steel samples from the collapsed building indicate possible substandard materials, prompting a government investigation. “We will have to collect more samples and conduct more tests once we can,” stated Nontichai Likitaporn, a Thai industry ministry official, during a press conference.
Myanmar’s Rising Death Toll and Humanitarian Crisis
Myanmar’s state media reported 2,065 deaths, over 3,900 injuries, and 270 missing persons. The military government has declared a week-long mourning period starting Monday. However, conflicting figures emerged, with The Wall Street Journal citing the junta’s count of 2,028 fatalities, while the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) reported a toll of 2,418 as of Monday. Chinese state media confirmed the deaths of three Chinese nationals in the disaster.
Junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing warned that the casualty numbers could rise further. Media access remains highly restricted in Myanmar since the military takeover, making independent verification of figures difficult.
The NUG has called on international governments to bypass the junta and deliver aid directly to earthquake victims. “We are in a race against time to save lives. Any obstruction to these efforts will have devastating consequences,” the group said in a statement.
Relief Efforts Underway Amid Conflict
Despite logistical and security challenges, aid is beginning to arrive. Neighboring China, India, and Thailand have sent relief supplies and personnel, with additional assistance coming from Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia.
“Our teams in Mandalay are joining efforts to scale up the humanitarian response despite going through the trauma themselves,” said Noriko Takagi, the U.N. refugee agency’s representative in Myanmar.
The United States has pledged $2 million in aid through Myanmar-based humanitarian groups and is deploying an emergency response team via USAID. However, USAID is facing significant budget cuts under the new administration, raising concerns about long-term relief operations.
The earthquake has exacerbated Myanmar’s existing crisis, where ongoing conflict has displaced over 3.5 million people, crippled infrastructure, and left healthcare services in disarray.
“The earthquake has laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing Myanmar’s people and underscored the need for sustained international attention to the broader crisis,” said U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop, urging unimpeded access for aid organizations.
With roads, bridges, airports, and railways severely damaged, humanitarian workers are struggling to deliver crucial aid. “We see devastated communities across the country, particularly in Mandalay and Naypyidaw. People are still sleeping outside, unable to access their homes or cook their meals,” said de Baecque of the ICRC.
As relief efforts continue amid the turmoil, the resilience of the affected communities remains the focal point of the region’s fight for survival and recovery.
