Myanmar earthquake: More than 2,000 people have died in Myanmar's devastating earthquake, with rescuers racing against time to find survivors before the critical window for life-saving operations closes. Sniffer dogs, paramedics, and volunteers continue searching through the rubble as the scale of destruction becomes clearer.
Trapped for hours: Stories of survival
Amid the chaos, stories of survival have emerged from ground zero. A viral video shows an elderly woman and her two teenage granddaughters trapped under the debris of their collapsed home. The girls, using a butter knife, tapped on broken concrete to alert rescuers. After 15 terrifying hours, they were finally pulled to safety.
In Mandalay, two women shared their ordeal of being buried under a collapsed hotel for five hours. Speaking to CNN, one survivor recounted how their phone’s flashlight helped them stay calm and remove debris from around them. "If we didn’t have that light, we might have died," she said.
Another survivor reflected on life after the traumatic experience: "We learned that nothing is permanent. The most important thing before death is to live happily and do good deeds."
Tragedy strikes religious sites
While miraculous rescues bring hope, heartbreaking losses continue to emerge.
- 200 Buddhist monks were crushed as a monastery collapsed.
- 50 children died when their preschool crumbled.
- 700 worshippers were killed while praying at mosques during Ramadan.
Survivors struggle without food, shelter
Aid groups say survivors in the hardest-hit areas urgently need food, water, and shelter. The ongoing civil war, following the military coup in 2021, has complicated relief efforts, with damaged roads and restricted communications making access difficult.
"In the worst-affected regions, people are sleeping outside, fearing aftershocks,” an International Rescue Committee (IRC) worker reported. “There is an urgent need for tents, as even those with intact homes are too afraid to sleep indoors."
Myanmar's deadliest quake in over a century
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar around lunchtime on Friday, toppling both ancient pagodas and modern buildings.
State media reports 2,065 dead, over 3,900 injured, and at least 270 missing, marking the country’s worst seismic disaster in more than a century.
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