Myanmar’s military government has reported over 2,000 deaths following Friday’s powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake, with thousands more injured. The disaster has overwhelmed hospitals, many of which have been damaged, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations has launched an urgent appeal for $8 million (£6.2 million) to provide aid, as the country continues to struggle under the effects of both the quake and an ongoing civil war. “The smell of dead bodies is permeating the streets,” sources told the BBC, highlighting the scale of devastation.
In Kyaukse, BBC visited a preschool where school bags, books, and learning materials lay scattered beneath the rubble. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s military leaders have declared a week of national mourning, with a minute of silence to be observed on Tuesday. Despite the tragedy, they continue airstrikes against resistance groups in the four-year conflict.
Across the border in Thailand, at least 20 people have died, with thousands evacuated from damaged buildings in Bangkok. Rescue efforts are ongoing for 74 construction workers trapped under the rubble of a collapsed high-rise. However, the city’s deputy governor warned there have been “no signs of life in the wreckage for hours.”
The full impact of the earthquake remains unclear, as information from Myanmar is difficult to verify.