Aftershocks continued to rock Mandalay in Myanmar on Sunday two days after the country's most powerful earthquake in a century, with the strongest measuring 5.1 according to the US Geological Survey.
In Bangkok, rescuers are searching for 83 people missing after the earthquake, including those trapped in the rubble of an under-construction skyscraper.
Rescuers warned that a critical survival window of 72 hours in which to find people alive is closing.
Hospitals in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, have been overwhelmed and many in the city spent Saturday night sleeping outside as the threat from multiple aftershocks continued.
At least 1,644 people have died in Myanmar, and the toll is expected to rise further, with 3,400 injured and dozens still missing in a country already ravaged by a four-year civil war.
Despite the unfolding disaster, Myanmar’s ruling military junta continued to conduct airstrikes late on Friday, according to UN officials.
The National United Government, an opposition government coordinating the rebel war effort from exile, said it would order a two-week unilateral ceasefire from Sunday so as not to impede rescue efforts.
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Key Points
- Death toll rises again to 1,644 in Myanmar, according to reports citing junta
- Myanmar's military junta resumes airstrikes as resistance group pledges ceasefire
- Bangkok lowers death toll to six as 101 missing
- Humanitarian aid for Myanmar hindered by damaged infrastructure, UN says
- Irish tourist tells the Independent of 'chaotic' scenes in Bangkok
Myanmar military denounced as ‘inhumane’ for continuing airstrikes after devastating earthquake
10:00
,
Shweta Sharma
Myanmar’s military junta continued bombing parts of the war-torn country even as the most powerful earthquake in over a century left hundreds dead and millions displaced.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which struck central Myanmar on Friday and also sent powerful jolts into neighbouring China and Thailand, has killed at least 1,644 people and injured 3,400, with military-run government still assessing the full extent of the disaster.
The earthquake was the biggest to hit Myanmar since 1912, according to the United States Geological Survey, and has devastated civilian infrastructure including the main highway running up the spine of the country. Many of the worst-hit areas have still not been reached by official agencies, with most rescue efforts being conducted by local residents removing rubble by hand.
Aftershock measuring 5.1 hits Mandalay
09:21
,
Shweta Sharma
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake again struck Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay, on Sunday, the latest in a string of aftershocks following Friday's devastating quake.
People screamed as the aftershock struck in the city where millions have been displaced.
Aftershocks have continued to exacerbate problems for rescue teams that started trickling into the region, the area hardest-hit by Friday's massive quake that killed more than 1,600 people.
Their efforts have been hindered by buckled roads, downed bridges, poor communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war.
Medical services overwhelmed in Myanmar
08:54
,
Shweta Sharma
Hospitals in Myanmar’s cities have been overwhelmed as they deal with the influx of patients after Friday's 7.7-magnitude earthquake.
Many areas have not yet been reached by the authorities and most rescue efforts so far have been undertaken by people working by hand to clear rubble, said Cara Bragg, the Yangon-based manager of Catholic Relief Services in Myanmar.
"It's mainly been local volunteers, local people who are just trying to find their loved ones," Ms Bragg said after being briefed by her colleague in Mandalay.
Many of Mandalay's 1.5 million people spent the night sleeping on the streets, either left homeless by the quake or out of fear of aftershocks.
An initial report on earthquake relief efforts issued on Saturday by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted damage or destruction to many healthcare facilities, and warned a "severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers".
Thailand orders probe into Bangkok skyscraper collapse
08:30
,
Shweta Sharma
The Thai government has ordered a thorough investigation into the collapse of the 33-storey building during the powerful earthquake.
The Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning (DPT) has been tasked with leading the inquiry of the under construction State Audit Office's building.
Prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated in a media interview that a committee will determine the cause of the structural failure and submit a report within a week, according to Bangkok Post.
The investigation will focus on key aspects, including the building’s design, the authority responsible for approving it, and whether any flaws in these processes contributed to the collapse.
Ms Shinawatra said she had never seen anything like this in her experience in the construction industry.
"I watched multiple clips of the building collapse from different angles. From my experience in the construction industry, I have never seen an issue like this. We must investigate thoroughly because a significant portion of the budget was allocated, and the deadline for completion had been extended," she said.
Pope, recovering from pneumonia, prays for quake-hit Southeast Asia
08:00
,
Shweta Sharma
Pope Francis, recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia, has offered prayers for the victims of a devastating earthquake that struck Southeast Asia.
"The pope has been informed of the disaster in Myanmar and is praying for the dramatic situation and for the many victims, also in Thailand," the Vatican said in a statement.
Since returning to the Vatican on Sunday, the 88-year-old pontiff has been undergoing physical and respiratory therapy, showing slight improvements in his speech and mobility.
Myanmar earthquake survivors dig through rubble with bare hands as death toll soars past 1,600
07:00
,
Shweta Sharma
amily members dug with their bare hands through rubble in search of loved ones buried by Myanmar’s powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Saturday, as countries around the world raced to provide life-saving aid.
The official death toll in Myanmar soared to 1,644 but was expected to continue rising, as a country already ravaged by civil war struggled to come to terms with the devastation centred on Mandalay, its second-biggest city and a former capital.
Power supplies across the country have been affected, and with no access to heavy machinery or immediate help from the military junta, local residents and volunteer rescue workers struggled to reach victims buried under the wreckage.
Airport control tower collapsed in Myanmar, satellite image shows
06:30
,
Shweta Sharma
Satellite images showed that the air traffic control tower at Myanmar’s Naypyidaw International Airport collapsed in the powerful earthquake.
Caritas Australia, an NGO with partners in Myanmar, also confirmed that the control tower collapsed and a staff member has been killed.
Naypyidaw International Airport is one of the major airports in Myanmar that primarily serves government officials, diplomats, and domestic flights, with limited international connectivity.
Aerial images show the scale of destruction after deadiest earthquake in decades
05:33
,
Shweta Sharma
Satellite and aerial images showed the extent of destruction in Myanmar after the deadliest earthquake in decades struck the civil-war torn country.
Several Buddhist temples, some dating back centuries, were either destroyed or severely damaged in the earthquake.
The Ava bridge built by the Britishers near Mandalay collapsed into the Irrawaddy river.
Below are images showing the extent of the devastation.
Robots, dogs, drones used in search for survivors in high-rise collapse
05:22
,
Shweta Sharma
Rescue teams in Bangkok are deploying advanced technology, including drones, robots, and search dogs, in their efforts to locate survivors after the collapse of a high-rise building.
Search dogs have already combed through the rubble, while drones and robots continue to assist in identifying trapped individuals amid the debris.
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced that X-ray machinery from Israel was expected to arrive overnight to enhance the search operation.
K9 dogs, or specially trained search-and-rescue dogs, are used in disaster response to locate survivors trapped under rubble.
12 Chinese nationals injured in Myanmar earthquake
05:00
,
Shweta Sharma
At least 12 Chinese nationals have been confirmed injured in Myanmar following the earthquake, according to state media.
More details are awaited.
UN says relief work is hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure
05:00
,
Shweta Sharma
Humanitarian operations in Myanmar have been hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday severely damaged critical infrastructure, including major bridges and roads, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to access areas in need, OCHA said.
"Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations", the UN agency said in a statement.
Hospitals in central and northwestern Myanmar are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the earthquake, the agency stated.
Seventeen cargo trucks of shelter and medical supplies are due to arrive on 30 March, to address current shortages of medicines, including blood bags and anaesthetics.
Myanmar's military rulers let in hundreds of foreign rescue personnel on Saturday after the earthquake killed more than 1,600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished, war-torn country in years.
UN says relief work is hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure
04:50
,
Shweta Sharma
Humanitarian operations in Myanmar have been hindered by damaged roads and infrastructure, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday severely damaged critical infrastructure, including major bridges and roads, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to access areas in need, OCHA said.
"Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations", the UN agency said in a statement.
Hospitals in central and northwestern Myanmar are struggling to cope with the influx of people injured in the earthquake, the agency stated.
Seventeen cargo trucks of shelter and medical supplies were due to arrive today to address the current shortages of medicines, including blood bags and anaesthetics.
Myanmar's military rulers let in hundreds of foreign rescue personnel on Saturday after the earthquake killed more than 1,600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished, war-torn country in years.
Rescue efforts continue for those missing under Bangkok high rise collapse
04:37
,
Shweta Sharma
Crews worked the second night in a row to recover those trapped inside the rubble of a collapsed under-construction high-rise after the powerful earthquake.
At least 17 people have died in Bangkok, and 83 are still unaccounted for.
Rescue teams working at the collapsed high-rise building recovered 12 bodies late on Saturday evening after some officials said vital signs were still being detected from the rubble.
"Rescue time is set at 72 hours, as [starvation] and dehydration are possible. Victims risk shock and death if rescue takes longer," said Suriyan Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department.
Myanmar’s resistance group declares partial ceasefire
04:05
,
Shweta Sharma
Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government (NUG), which co-ordinates the popular struggle against the ruling military, announced on Saturday night a unilateral partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts.
An announcement said its armed wing, the People's Defence Force, will implement a two-week pause in offensive military operations starting on Sunday in earthquake-affected areas.
It said it would "collaborate with the UN and non-governmental organisations to ensure security, transportation, and the establishment of temporary rescue and medical camps," in the areas it controls.
"We call on all ethnic groups and citizens to actively co-operate with the NUG and revolutionary forces in providing comprehensive emergency rescue and relief assistance to the earthquake victims," the statement said.
It came as the military has reportedly continued attacks on resistance-held areas even in the wake of the earthquake.
Pro-democracy groups have said there have been aerial attacks in Chang-U township in the central Sagaing region, the epicentre of the quake, as well as in regions near the Thai border.
King Charles sends message to Myanmar in first statement since hospital stay
04:00
,
Alex Croft
King Charles, while recovering from recent cancer treatment side effects, has conveyed his condolences to the people of Myanmar following a devastating earthquake.
The King, who cancelled a planned visit to Birmingham on Friday to focus on his recuperation, issued a message of sympathy on Saturday.
Charles said: “My wife and I were most dreadfully shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, with its tragic loss of life and appalling damage to homes, buildings and livelihoods, not to mention the destruction of sacred pagodas, monasteries and other places of worship.”
Read the King’s full comments here:
UK to send £10m in 'life-saving aid' to Myanmar
03:48
,
Shweta Sharma
The UK government has pledged up to £10m in "life-saving aid" to Myanmar after the powerful earthquake in the country.
The package is to support the humanitarian response "in the hardest hit areas of the earthquake", with a focus on food and water supplies, medicine and shelter, the Foreign Office said.
Baroness Jennifer Chapman, minister of state for development, said: "The UK is sending immediate and life-saving support to the people of Myanmar following the devastating earthquake.
"UK-funded local partners are already mobilising a humanitarian response on the ground, and this £10m package will bolster their efforts.
"I offer my deepest sympathies to the people of Myanmar after this tragic event."
Chinese rescue team arrives in Myanmar
03:30
,
Alex Croft
A 37-member rescue team from China’s Yunnan province arrived in Yangon early Saturday, bringing earthquake detectors, drones, and other emergency supplies, according to Xinhua news agency.
Chinese president Xi Jinping spoke with Myanmar's junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, the Chinese embassy confirmed. State media reported that Xi expressed "deep sorrow" over the widespread destruction caused by the earthquake.
'I had to leave him behind,' recalls volunteer rescuer
03:00
,
Alex Croft
A 39-year-old Mandalay resident has recalled harrowing scenes as he tried to save a man trapped under the debris of a collapsed mosque in Sule Kone village - but had to flee because of strong aftershocks.
"I had to leave him behind... I went in a second time to try to save him," he said, declining to be identified.
"I retrieved four people with my own hands. But unfortunately, three were already dead and one died in my arms."
He said 10 people had been killed there, and that they were among 23 who died at three mosques that were destroyed in the village. Government restrictions had prevented them being upgraded, he said.
Watch: Rescuers search collapsed Bangkok building as Myanmar earthquake death toll exceeds 1,000
02:30
,
Alex Croft
Mapped: The regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
02:29
,
Alex Croft
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake turned high-rise buildings to rubble and sent people rushing out of their homes in Myanmar and Thailand on Friday.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km, about 17.2km from Myanmar’s second-largest city of Mandalay, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The midday temblor was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock, and people in Bangkok evacuated from their buildings were cautioned to stay outside in case there were more.
Thai woman gives birth on rolling hospital bed as she was evacuated
02:01
,
Alex Croft
As thousands streamed out of their buildings after the earthquake first struck, a Thai woman gave birth in the most extraordinary of circumstances.
Kanthong Saenmuangshin gave birth to a baby girl as her bed was rolled out of hospital in the urgent evacuation. The 36-year-old had gone to hospital for a routine check-up but went into labour after the ground began shaking.
As she was escorted by medical staff of the Police General Hospital down five flights of stairs, Kanthong’s waters broke.
"I was telling my baby, don't come out yet," Kanthong said on Saturday.
"Then I was put on a hospital bed and was surrounded by a lot of medical staffs where I just gave birth right then and there. It was all a shock to me too," she told Reuters news agency.
Kanthong’s husband was at work and could not make it to hospital in time for the birth - but their daughter was born safely and the sight of her brought happiness, Kanthong said.
She and her husband have given their baby a nickname, "Mink". They have not yet decided on her full official name but do not plan to give her any names related to the earthquake.
In pictures: Race against time as rescuers sift through rubble in Mandalay, Myanmar
02:00
,
Alex Croft
Humanitarian aid in Myanmar hindered by damaged infrastructure, UN says
00:28
,
Alex Croft
As rescuers race to find survivors across Myanmar, humanitarian assistance is being heavily impeded by critically damaged infrastructure in the country.
Major bridges and roads were among the structures which collapsed in Myanmar following the massive 7.7-magnitude quake, making it difficult for humanitarian operations to access areas in need, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday.
Myanmar's military rulers let in hundreds of foreign rescue personnel on Saturday after the earthquake killed more than 1,600 people, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the impoverished, war-torn country in years.
"Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations", the OCHA said.
What caused the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and why was it so damaging?
00:00
,
Alex Croft
Sitting on the boundary between two tectonic plates, Myanmar is one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
But earthquakes of such magnitude are rare in the heavily-affected Sagaing region.
"The plate boundary between the India Plate and Eurasia Plate runs approximately north-south, cutting through the middle of the country," said Joanna Faure Walker, a professor and earthquake expert at University College London.
Plates move past each other horizontally at different speeds. While this causes “strike slip” quakes which aren’t as powerful as those seen in “subduction zones”, they still have the capacity to hit magnitudes of 7 to 8.
Read the full report:
Irish tourist tells the Independent of chaotic scenes in Bangkok
Saturday 29 March 2025 23:29
,
Alex Croft
Shauna-Rose, a tourist visiting Bangkok, says the city came to a “standstill” as “chaos” took hold following the earthquake.
Soon after checking into her Bangkok hostel, the 30-year-old Irish backpacker “started to feel the room shake a little”, she told The Independent.
“It kept going for another maybe 15 seconds or so and it was getting stronger. I looked at the lampshades on the ceiling and they were swaying so much. It felt like I was on a boat.”
At that point, Shauna-Rose and another guest in the hostel agreed they needed to leave the hostel.
There were “people everywhere” in the street, she said. “It was a strange feeling but nobody seemed to be panicking too much.”
It was only after the quake subsided that the chaos began to reign in Bangkok.
“I think the whole thing maybe lasted 5 mins or so but I didn't expect the chaos afterwards,” Shauna-Rose said.
“The city was at a standstill, all the metros were stopped, malls were closed, people were frantically buying water from any shops that were still opened, the streets were jammed and there were people everywhere that you could barely even move.”
Only in the evening did things return to normal, Shauna-Rose says.
Trump says US will help Myanmar despite push to close USAID
Saturday 29 March 2025 23:00
,
Alex Croft
Speaking at the White House, US president Donald Trump said he had spoken with officials in Myanmar and that his administration would be providing some form of assistance. “We're going to be helping,” he told reporters.
Despite the Trump administration’s push to shut the US Agency for International Development and cut nearly all remaining jobs, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said USAID disaster experts were ready to help, including with items such as food and potable water.
“USAID has maintained a team of disaster experts with the capacity to respond if disaster strikes,” she told 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.”
Myanmar military urges blood donations as more injured are being recovered
Saturday 29 March 2025 22:31
,
Alex Croft
Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military junta highlighted a critical shortage of blood in hospitals across regions affected by the recent earthquake.
The spokesperson noted that facilities in Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyidaw are particularly in need of blood supplies.
He urged blood donors to contact hospitals as soon as possible.
The call comes as medical teams continue to treat victims and manage the aftermath of the disaster.
Watch: Moment building collapses as Myanmar earthquake tremors hit Bangkok
Saturday 29 March 2025 21:59
,
Alex Croft
China pledges $13.8m in earthquake aid to Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 21:26
,
Alex Croft
China has announced 100m yuan ($13.77m) in aid for Myanmar following the devastating earthquake that has claimed over 1,000 lives, its embassy said on Saturday.
The assistance package includes tents, blankets, emergency medical kits, food, and water, with the first shipment set to arrive on 31 March, according to a statement on the Chinese embassy’s Facebook page.
Mapped: The regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
Saturday 29 March 2025 21:02
,
Alex Croft
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake turned high-rise buildings to rubble and sent people rushing out of their homes in Myanmar and Thailand on Friday.
At least 1,644 have been killed, 2,376 people have been injured and 30 are missing in Myanmar, the country’s ruling military junta said amid warnings that the toll is expected to rise.
In Thailand, Bangkok authorities reduced the death toll to six. 26 people have been injured and 47 others are missing at sites including at a high-rise building which collapsed, authorities said.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km, about 17.2km from Myanmar’s second-largest city of Mandalay, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Read more:
In pictures: Heartbreak in Myanmar and Thailand as rescue efforts continue
Saturday 29 March 2025 20:38
,
Alex Croft
King Charles sends message to Myanmar in first statement since hospital stay
Saturday 29 March 2025 20:27
,
Alex Croft
King Charles, while recovering from recent cancer treatment side effects, has conveyed his condolences to the people of Myanmar following a devastating earthquake.
The King, who cancelled a planned visit to Birmingham on Friday to focus on his recuperation, issued a message of sympathy on Saturday.
Charles said: “My wife and I were most dreadfully shocked and saddened to learn of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, with its tragic loss of life and appalling damage to homes, buildings and livelihoods, not to mention the destruction of sacred pagodas, monasteries and other places of worship.”
Read the King’s full comments here:
Survivors forced to dig out loved ones with bare hands
Saturday 29 March 2025 20:16
,
Alex Croft
In the aftermath of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that devastated Mandalay, Myanmar, on Friday, survivors desperately dug through rubble with their bare hands, searching for those still trapped.
With no heavy machinery and authorities absent from the scene, residents and volunteer rescue workers struggled to reach victims buried under the wreckage.
Htet Min Oo, 25, narrowly survived when a brick wall collapsed on him, trapping half of his body.
His grandmother and two uncles remained buried, and despite his efforts, he was unable to free them.
“There’s too much rubble, and no rescue teams have come for us,” he told Reuters, breaking into tears.
One rescue worker was attempting to free 140 trapped monks from a collapsed building in Amarapura, Mandalay.
“We do not have enough manpower or machines to remove the debris, but we will not stop working,” the worker who was not named said.
Some residents were appealing for machinery on Facebook.
One wrote that members of their family had been crushed under the rubble of a mosque and "we desperately want to recover their bodies".
Myanmar's military junta continues air strikes after catastrophic earthquake
Saturday 29 March 2025 19:58
,
Alex Croft
Myanmar’s military junta has continued air strikes in areas of the war-torn country amid ongoing rescue efforts following Friday’s catastrophic earthquake.
UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews said the attacks were “
