The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar and was strongly felt in the neighboring Thailand on Friday, March 28, has left a trail of destruction across the country, with the death toll having climbed to 1,644. Authorities have also reported that at least 3,408 people have been injured, while 139 individuals remain missing as rescue operations continue.
In Bangkok, the disaster has also taken a heavy toll. Seventeen people lost their lives, 32 were injured, and 83 are still unaccounted for. Most of the missing are believed to be trapped under the rubble of a 33-story high-rise that was under construction before collapsing in a bustling district of the Thai capital.
Severe Shortage of Supplies
The United Nations has warned of a critical shortage of medical supplies, severely hampering relief efforts. Destroyed infrastructure and impassable roads have further complicated the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected regions.
Search and rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate survivors buried beneath the debris. In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, where the earthquake’s epicenter was located, a woman was miraculously pulled from the wreckage of a collapsed building on Saturday after being trapped for 30 hours.
However, local residents report that hospitals are overwhelmed. “Even if we find survivors, there’s nowhere to treat them,” a resident lamented.
In Bangkok, rescue teams are deploying thermal imaging cameras and scanners to detect body heat beneath the ruins. Specially trained dogs and search-and-rescue robots are also being used to locate those still missing. Despite these efforts, hopes of finding more survivors are fading with each passing hour.
Rebels Declare Unilateral Ceasefire
Against the backdrop of this catastrophe, Myanmar’s shadow government’s armed wing, the People’s Defense Force (PDF), has declared a unilateral two-week ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts.
The PDF, which has been engaged in an armed struggle against the military junta that seized power in 2021, announced that it would halt offensive military operations from March 30, 2025, except for defensive actions in affected areas.
The group also pledged to cooperate with the UN and humanitarian organizations to ensure the safe passage of aid and the establishment of temporary shelters for those displaced by the disaster.
Since the military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021, Myanmar has been engulfed in conflict. The ruling junta has been engaged in fierce battles against both the PDF and ethnic minority militias that control several border regions. Now, with the earthquake adding to the country’s woes, Myanmar faces an even greater humanitarian crisis.
