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.
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 SharmaMyanmar’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.
‘Inhumane’ Myanmar military continues airstrikes after devastating earthquake
Aftershock measuring 5.1 hits Mandalay
09:21 , Shweta SharmaA 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 SharmaHospitals 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 SharmaThe 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 SharmaPope 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 Sharmaamily 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.
Myanmar earthquake survivors dig through rubble with bare hands as death toll soars
Airport control tower collapsed in Myanmar, satellite image shows
06:30 , Shweta SharmaSatellite 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 SharmaSatellite 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 SharmaRescue 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 SharmaAt 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 SharmaHumanitarian 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 SharmaHumanitarian 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 SharmaCrews 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 SharmaMyanmar'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 CroftKing 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:
King Charles sends message to Myanmar in first statement since hospital stay
UK to send £10m in 'life-saving aid' to Myanmar
03:48 , Shweta SharmaThe 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 CroftA 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 CroftA 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 CroftMapped: The regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
02:29 , Alex CroftA 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 CroftAs 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 CroftAs 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 CroftSitting 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:
What caused the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and why was it so damaging?
Irish tourist tells the Independent of chaotic scenes in Bangkok
Saturday 29 March 2025 23:29 , Alex CroftShauna-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 CroftSpeaking 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 CroftMajor 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 CroftChina pledges $13.8m in earthquake aid to Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 21:26 , Alex CroftChina 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 CroftA 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:
Mapped: The regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
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 CroftKing 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:
King Charles sends message to Myanmar in first statement since hospital stay
Survivors forced to dig out loved ones with bare hands
Saturday 29 March 2025 20:16 , Alex CroftIn 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 CroftMyanmar’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 “completely outrageous and unacceptable”.
Speaking to the BBC, he described it as “incredible” for the junta to continue dropping bombs “when you are trying to rescue people”.
"Anyone who has influence on the military needs to step up the pressure and make it very clear that this is not acceptable," he said.
"I'm calling upon the junta to just stop, stop any of its military operations," he added.
It comes after the National Unity Government (NUG), representing Myanmar’s administration outed in a 2021 military coup, said its armed forces would pause “offensive military operations” for two weeks from Sunday. It would still carry out “defensive actions”, the resistance group said.
Watch: Rooftop pool sways as Thailand buildings rocked by Myanmar earthquake
Saturday 29 March 2025 19:35 , Alex CroftTrump says US will help Myanmar after the earthquake – his cuts will make that difficult
Saturday 29 March 2025 19:13 , Alex CroftPresident Trump pledged US support for Southeast Asia following a devastating earthquake, but his administration's previous foreign aid cuts could hinder the response.
While offering assistance on Friday, the impact of reduced funding to USAID and the State Department remains a significant concern.
Sarah Charles, a former senior USAID official during the Biden administration, expressed deep concern about the current state of disaster preparedness. She described the system as "in shambles," lacking the necessary personnel and resources for effective and timely disaster relief, such as rescuing survivors from collapsed structures.
Read more here:
Trump says US will help Myanmar after earthquake – his cuts will make that difficult
'I had to leave him behind,' recalls volunteer rescuer
Saturday 29 March 2025 18:56 , Alex CroftA 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.
Satellite images lay bare scale of destruction in Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 18:32 , Alex CroftMyanmar resistance announces partial ceasefire for earthquake relief
Saturday 29 March 2025 18:08 , Alex CroftMyanmar’s main resistance movement has announced a partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts following one of the worst earthquakes the country has ever seen.
A civil war has raged in the country since the military seized power from an elected civilian government four years ago.
The National Unity Government (NUG), representing the ousted administration, said its armed forces would begin a two-week pause in "offensive military operations, except for defensive actions” from Sunday.
Widespread public protests were sparked by the 2021 takeover. A violent suppression by security forces triggered an armed resistance that has now led to a state of civil war.
The four years since have seen overlapping crises push nearly half the population into poverty, as thousands of civilians were killed and millions displaced amid wave after wave of airstrikes and artillery shelling on civilian populated areas by Myanmar’s army.
Ethnic minority militias and people’s defense forces that support Myanmar’s main opposition control large parts of the country, while the military holds much of central Myanmar and big cities including the capital, Naypyidaw.
Thai woman gives birth on rolling hospital bed as she was evacuated
Saturday 29 March 2025 17:43 , Alex CroftAs 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
Saturday 29 March 2025 17:20 , Alex Croft
Myanmar's capital hit by aftershocks
Saturday 29 March 2025 17:00 , Shweta SharmaMyanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, which houses the sprawling headquarters of the military junta, has witnessed a number of aftershocks in the 24 hours after Friday's powerful earthquake.
"It shook at least six times during the night. Most people are now running to and from monasteries and other places," a local resident told BBC Burmese.
The capital, 150 miles away from the epicentre, suffered significant damage in the earthquake and many buildings have reportedly collapsed.
The junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing visited hospitals in the capital on Saturday, as well as travelling to worst-hit Mandalay.
What caused the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and why was it so damaging?
Saturday 29 March 2025 16:31 , Shweta SharmaSitting 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 Alex Croft’s report.
What caused the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand and why was it so damaging?
Humanitarian aid in Myanmar hindered by damaged infrastructure, UN says
Saturday 29 March 2025 16:11 , Alex CroftAs 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.
'People frantically buying water': Irish tourist recalls chaotic scenes in Bangkok
Saturday 29 March 2025 15:39 , Alex CroftShauna-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.
Why the earthquake could help hasten the fall of Myanmar’s brutal dictator
Saturday 29 March 2025 15:32 , Shweta SharmaA group of Buddhist monks in saffron robes are gathered beside a shrine lying collapsed on the ground but seemingly intact, as if someone has pushed it over. They are not looking at this but at a midrise, primrose-yellow building a few hundred yards away.
As the monks film on their phones – the building, seemingly solid one moment, suddenly collapses into itself, the upper storeys disappearing in a cloud of dust as the monks flinch, crouch and then quickly resume filming again. One can only hope that everyone inside had already got out.
Meanwhile, the top of the spire of Shwe Sar Yan pagoda near Mandalay, near the epicentre of the earthquake, snaps off as onlookers scream and weep at the demise of this thousand-year-old pagoda. In Mandalay, the exquisite royal palace, built in the 1850s, has suffered damage too.
Annabel Venning, whose family lived in Myanmar for many years, reports
Why the earthquake could help hasten the fall of Myanmar’s brutal dictator
Mapped: The regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
Saturday 29 March 2025 15:00 , Shweta SharmaA 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.
Chinese rescue team arrives in Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 14:31 , Shweta SharmaA 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.
Earthquake death toll rises to 1,644 in Myanmar, according to reports citing junta
Saturday 29 March 2025 14:09The death toll from the earthquake in Myanmar has now risen to 1,644, AFP has reported, citing the country’s ruling military junta.
Myanmar’s junta chief inspects earthquake devastation in Mandalay
Saturday 29 March 2025 13:30 , Shweta SharmaMyanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, visited Mandalay on Saturday to assess the damage caused by earthquake, state media said, a day after he made a rare appeal for international aid.
Following an aerial survey of the Mandalay region, Min Aung Hlaing continued ground inspections, according to a statement from the junta.
The junta leader has previously shunned foreign aid as the country has remained under several sanctions after 2021 coup.
"Search, rescue, and relief operations are being carried out in the affected areas," the statement added.
China pledges $13.8m in earthquake aid to Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 13:00 , Shweta SharmaChina 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.
Control tower at Myanmar's Naypyitaw International Airport collapsed in quake, satellite photos show
Saturday 29 March 2025 12:31 , Tara CobhamSatellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analysed by The Associated Press show the earthquake toppled the air traffic control tower at Naypyitaw International Airport.
The photos taken on Saturday show the tower toppled over as if sheered from its base. Debris lay scattered from the top of the tower, which controlled all air traffic in the capital of Myanmar.
It was not immediately clear if there had been any injuries in the collapse, though the tower would have had staff inside of it at the time of the earthquake on Friday. It likely also stopped air traffic into the international airport, given all electronics and radar would have been routed into the tower for controllers.
Flights carrying rescue teams from China have landed at the airport in Yangon instead of going directly to the airports in the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw.
King Charles says he is 'dreadfully shocked and saddened' by Myanmar earthquake
Saturday 29 March 2025 12:30 , Shweta SharmaKing Charles has sent a message of condolence to the people of Myanmar following the devastating earthquake, while continuing his recovery after a brief hospital stay.
In a message shared on social media, he expressed shock and sadness over the loss of life, destruction of homes, and damage to sacred sites.
"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," he wrote.
A message of condolence from His Majesty The King to the people of Myanmar following the devastating earthquake. pic.twitter.com/0Lfx9iBmMX
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 29, 2025
Recognising the hardships Myanmar has endured, he praised the resilience and spirit of its people, offering "deepest possible sympathy" to those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.
Myanmar's capital hit by aftershocks
Saturday 29 March 2025 12:05 , Shweta SharmaMyanmar’s capital, Naypyidaw, which houses the sprawling headquarters of the military junta, has witnessed a number of aftershocks in the 24 hours after Friday's powerful earthquake.
"It shook at least six times during the night. Most people are now running to and from monasteries and other places," a local resident told BBC Burmese.
The capital, 150 miles away from the epicentre, suffered significant damage in the earthquake and many buildings have reportedly collapsed.
The junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing visited hospitals in the capital on Saturday, as well as travelling to worst-hit Mandalay.
Power outages hinder Myanmar rescue efforts as exhaustion sets in
Saturday 29 March 2025 12:00 , Shweta SharmaRescue operations in Myanmar are struggling due to widespread power outages, forcing emergency teams to rely on portable generators.
The Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation (YESC), which manages power distribution in Myanmar’s most populous city, announced that residents will receive only four hours of electricity per day.
With more than 24 hours of non-stop searching, rescuers are physically drained and in urgent need of reinforcement.
"We have been here since last night. We haven’t got any sleep. More help is needed here," one exhausted worker told AFP.
Desperate wait continues outside Bangkok high-rise toppled by Myanmar quake
Saturday 29 March 2025 14:03 , Shweta SharmaDesperate wait continues outside Bangkok high-rise toppled by Myanmar quake
Anxious loved ones waited outside what is now the mangled remains of an unfinished skyscraper, wearily, in Thailand’s capital.
Rescuers are racing against time to search for nearly 50 people still believed to be trapped inside the rubble as more than 24 hours have passed since the tragedy struck.
The under-construction 30-storey skyscraper collapsed in the earthquake. It was next to the sprawling Chatuchak weekend market which is famous among foreign tourists.
Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake.
A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday.
"I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.
Burmese people in Taiwan and Singapore fear for relatives
Saturday 29 March 2025 11:30 , Shweta SharmaRelatives of Myanmar nationals living in Taiwan and Singapore have been closely watching the developments since the earthquake struck.
Win Win said she has been glued to social media for the past day, trying to work out whether her family in Myanmar's Mandalay survived Friday's powerful earthquake.
"We spoke last night but then nothing today. I can't get through. I'm so scared for them," Win Win, one of Taiwan's estimated 50,000 Sino-Burmese, told Reuters on Saturday at the eatery in “Little Myanmar” in New Taipei, neighbouring the capital, Taipei.
Su Laff, a 41-year-old logistics administrator, expressed her sorrow at Singapore’s Peninsula Plaza, a popular gathering spot for Burmese migrants and businesses.
She said her relatives had already suffered through civil unrest and recent floods before the earthquake.
"We've lost people already," she said.
Trump says US will help Myanmar despite push to close USAID
Saturday 29 March 2025 11:00 , Shweta SharmaSpeaking 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.”
Bangkok: emergency measures in place with some city transport suspended
Saturday 29 March 2025 10:50 , Simon CalderThe Thai capital, Bangkok, remains “an emergency zone” following Friday’s earthquake.
None of the flights from the UK have been cancelled, though the Saturday afternoon arrival on Thai Airways from London Heathrow is running 90 minutes late.
British Airways from London Gatwick and Eva Air from Heathrow are running normally.
The rail link to Suvarnabhumi international airport, the BTS Skytrain, has now resumed operation. On Bangkok’s metro system, the MRT, the Pink Line and Yellow Line remain closed.
The Blue Line and Purple Line started running again on Saturday, and longer-distance rail services are now operating normally.
In Bangkok, the Din Daeng Expressway is temporarily closed for structural safety inspections. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says: “Alternative routes are available via Sirat Expressway.”
Desperate wait continues outside Bangkok high-rise toppled by Myanmar quake
Saturday 29 March 2025 10:15 , Shweta SharmaAnxious loved ones waited outside what is now the mangled remains of an unfinished skyscraper, wearily, in Thailand’s capital.
Rescuers are racing against time to search for nearly 50 people still believed to be trapped inside the rubble as more than 24 hours have passed since the tragedy struck.
The under-construction 30-storey skyscraper collapsed in the earthquake. It was next to the sprawling Chatuchak weekend market which is famous among foreign tourists.
Waenphet Panta said she hadn't heard from her daughter Kanlayanee since a phone call about an hour before the quake.
A friend told her Kanlayanee had been working high on the building on Friday.
"I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.
At least 15 people are believed to be alive underneath metres of rubble as more people are missing.
Survivors forced to dig out loved ones with bare hands
Saturday 29 March 2025 09:50 , Shweta SharmaIn 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".
Live: Rescuers search collapsed Bangkok building as Myanmar earthquake death toll exceeds 1,000
Saturday 29 March 2025 09:45 , Shweta SharmaMyanmar military urges blood donations as more injured are being recovered
Saturday 29 March 2025 09:30 , Shweta SharmaMajor 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.
Myanmar earthquake brings down historic buildings, damages landmarks
Saturday 29 March 2025 09:16 , Shweta SharmaThe powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has caused extensive damage to historic buildings and infrastructure, particularly in Mandalay, Sagaing, and Naypyidaw.
In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, the quake reportedly brought down multiple buildings, including the historic Ma Soe Yane monastery. The former royal palace, a symbol of Myanmar’s rich cultural heritage, also suffered damage, with videos and photos on social media showing parts of its structure affected.
Buddhist monks at the New Masoeyein monastery in #Mandalay survey the remains of a toppled clock tower as their monastery building collapses before them right after the #MyanmarEarthquake.
— Malachy Browne (@malachybrowne) March 28, 2025
Live @nytimes coverage: https://t.co/YFyhET4pyn pic.twitter.com/y18aAEJaun
In the Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, cutting off a key transport link. Parts of the highway connecting Mandalay and Yangon were also damaged, raising concerns about disruptions to relief efforts.
In the capital Naypyidaw, the earthquake damaged religious shrines, causing parts of the structures to topple to the ground.
Temporary hospital set up at Mandalay Airport
Saturday 29 March 2025 09:00 , Shweta SharmaMyanmar's military regime has set up a makeshift hospital and relief camp at Mandalay Airport after flight operations were impacted.
Operations at the airport remain suspended after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck with its epicentre near Mandalay city.
It is not known at what capacity it will run and how many people it can treat.
However, the country has started receiving aid from neighbouring countries.
Mandalay is Myanmar’s second-largest city and was the worst hit.
Almost 694 people of the 1,002 have died were in Mandalay.
Countries rush to send aid to Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 08:45 , Shweta SharmaA number of countries across Asia have rushed to send aid and relief materials to Myanmar, while several – including Malaysia, India, Russia and China – have dispatched teams of their own rescue workers.
Hong Kong said would send a rescue team to Myanmar. The city's chief executive, John Lee, also extended his condolences to the earthquake victims in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Taiwan's National Fire Agency said a rescue team of 120 people was on standby for possible deployment. The team included rescue personnel, doctors, nurses, a vet, six search-and-rescue dogs and 15 tons of equipment. However, Taiwan and Myanmar don't have official ties. Most countries don't recognise Chinese-claimed Taiwan as a country as Beijing prohibits other nations from having formal ties with Taipei.
China has now sent two teams of rescuers to Myanmar, with an additional rescue team of 82 people dispatched from Bejing. Emergency responders from the Chinese province of Yunnan, bordering Myanmar, have already arrived in the earthquake-stricken country.
Additionally, 16 members of the Chinese civil relief squad Blue Sky Rescue Team in the city of Ruili, Yunnan, departed to Muse City in northern Myanmar to help with relief efforts, according to state broadcaster CGTN.
Chinese authorities also sent a first batch of 80 tents and 290 blankets early Saturday.
New Zealand's foreign minister Winston Peters wrote on X that his government would support relief efforts "via the International Red Cross Movement".
"Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, and to everyone else affected," Mr Peters said on Saturday.
New Zealand's foreign ministry said all embassy staff in Yangon and Bangkok were accounted for and no New Zealanders had been reported hurt or killed.
South Korea said it would provide $2m worth of humanitarian aid to Myanmar via international organisations.
Is it safe to travel to Thailand and is Bangkok airport open?
Saturday 29 March 2025 08:30 , Shweta SharmaThailand and Myanmar declared a state of emergency after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, sending tremors as far as Thailand’s capital Bangkok.
Over 1,000 people have died as a result of the catastrophic earthquake.
Approximately 1,002 were killed in Myanmar, its ruling military junta said. A Thai government official said at least six people have also been found dead in its capital.
Thailand’s major airports are operational, inbound and outbound flights have largely not been disrupted.
Thailand’s airport group, Airports of Thailand (AOT) said on Friday, 28 March: “AOT has completed inspections of 6 airports, confirming that the structural integrity of their buildings and aviation infrastructure meets safety standards.
“All airports have resumed normal operations as of 2.30pm.”
The six airports include Suvarnabhumi Airport, Don Mueang Airport, Chiang Mai Airport, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai Airport, Phuket Airport and Hat Yai Airport.
Flight tracking data from FlightRadar shows the majority of flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s main airport, on time, with a handful of delays, and very few cancellations and diversions.
Is it safe to travel to Thailand? Advice for tourists after Myanmar earthquake
Map shows regions hit worst by 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
Saturday 29 March 2025 08:15 , Shweta SharmaBritish expert warns of 'disastrous' impact from fault rupture
Saturday 29 March 2025 07:50 , Shweta SharmaThe 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, on Friday was caused by a massive fault rupture, triggering intense ground shaking in densely populated areas, a leading seismologist has said.
Brian Baptie, a seismologist with the British Geological Survey, explained that a 200km (125 mile) section of the fault ruptured for just over a minute, with the ground slipping by up to 5 metres (16.4 feet) in some areas.
A fault rupture occurs when stress along a geological fault line builds up and is suddenly released, causing the ground to shift and triggering an earthquake.
The earthquake struck a region where many buildings are constructed with timber and unreinforced brick masonry, making them especially vulnerable to collapse.
“When you have a large earthquake in an area where there are over a million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous,” Mr Baptie said.
“From initial reports, that seems likely to be the case here.”
Charities raise concerns over worsening crisis in war-torn Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 07:28 , Shweta SharmaAn estimated 6.1 million people have been affected by the earthquake across Myanmar, with collapsed buildings, damaged infrastructure, and growing concerns over those in remote areas, said CARE, an international humanitarian agency.
The disaster came with 19.9 million people in Myanmar already in need of humanitarian aid due to the civil war, according to CARE Myanmar’s country director Arif Noor.
“The response remains significantly underfunded, and this disaster has only worsened an already fragile situation,” he said.
The charity, which also works in Bangkok, said it is the first time it experienced such a strong impact from an earthquake, and it is deeply concerning; especially for densely populated urban areas.
“We felt the tremors clearly in Bangkok, buildings shook for several minutes, and all office staff evacuated immediately,” it said.
Dr Komal Raj Aryal, a crisis and disaster management lecturer at Aston University, highlighted the risks for 5.3 million Burmese people in rural areas, particularly in Mandalay’s densely populated regions.
"The epicentre of this morning’s earthquake is in the country’s fourth-largest and densely-populated region, with a magnitude of 7.7 and a population density of 54 people per square km.
"My main concern is the scale of impact on the 5.3 million people living in rural areas of this geopolitically isolated country – particularly in the historically significant and densely populated former northern capital.
"Two major aftershocks have already happened there."
UK for UNHCR launches urgent appeal
Saturday 29 March 2025 07:15 , Shweta SharmaThe UK’s national partner of the United Nations Refugee Agency has launched an emergency appeal to support relief efforts, warning that urgent funding is needed to provide lifesaving aid.
"People who have already lost so much are now facing another disaster and more suffering," said Mark Hopkinson, UK for UNHCR’s Fundraising Director.
"The need for support has never been more urgent.”
It said the earthquake has caused widespread destruction and worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis.
The earthquake’s tremors were also felt in Thailand, including in areas where over 80,000 refugees from Myanmar live in temporary shelters along the border.
Myanmar is home to 3.6 million internally displaced people, many of whom were already struggling due to ongoing conflict. The areas worst hit by the earthquake – central and northwest Myanmar – are home to 1.6 million displaced people, it said.
Bangkok airports operational after safety checks
Saturday 29 March 2025 07:02 , Shweta SharmaSix airports in Thailand, including those in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai and Phuket, have returned to normal operations after undergoing safety inspections.
The Airports of Thailand, the agency which manages 10 airports in the country, confirmed the structural integrity of buildings at those airports and found aviation infrastructure met safety standards.
Pictures show aftermath of devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Bangkok
Saturday 29 March 2025 06:37More pictures are emerging of the widespread devastation in Myanmar and Thailand, where a powerful earthquake sent buildings collapsing.
Updates have been slow out of Myanmar, a country ravaged by civil war and where the military junta has crushed independent media.
Myanmar’s military-led government said in a statement that 1,002 people have now been found dead and another 2,376 injured, with 30 others missing.
The statement suggested the numbers could still rise, saying "detailed figures are still being collected."
In neighbouring Thailand, the quake rocked the greater Bangkok area, home to some 17 million people – many of whom live in high-rise buildings – and other parts of the country.
Bangkok city authorities said that so far six people have been found dead, 26 injured, and 47 are still missing, most from a construction site near the capital's popular Chatuchak market.
South Korea to provide $2m in aid to earthquake-hit Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 06:17South Korea says it will provide $2m of humanitarian aid to Myanmar via international organisations after Friday's earthquake.
The South Korean foreign ministry announced the funding on Saturday, saying it would consider sending additional assistance if needed.
Aid has begun pouring into Myanmar from countries including China, Russia and India.
Myanmar is already one of the world's poorest countries and faces significant economic and social instability due to an ongoing civil war.
'Prayers, tears, and fading hope' as families await news from skyscraper collapse
Saturday 29 March 2025 05:53 , Shweta SharmaDozens of lives were changed forever as a 33-story high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok during Friday's powerful earthquake.
The skyscraper was still under construction by a Chinese firm on behalf of the Thai government. It wobbled and then crumbled, sending a thick plume of dust billowing into the sky.
The collapse sent people running and screaming, and many are now desperately waiting for news of their loved ones still trapped under the rubble.
Naruemol Thonglek, 45, broke down as she looked through the huge heap of rubble where her husband and five friends are believed to be trapped.
“I was praying that they had survived," she told the Associated Press. "But when I got here and saw the ruin – where could they be? In which corner? Are they still alive?
“I am still praying that all six are alive. I cannot accept this. When I see this I can't accept this. A close friend of mine is in there, too,” she said in disblief.
Waenphet Panta said she had spoken to her daughter, Kanlayanee, just an hour before the tragedy struck.
"I am praying my daughter is safe, that she has survived and that she's at the hospital," she said, Kanlayanee's father sitting beside her.
Paul Vincent, a tourist visiting from England, was at a streetside bar when the quake struck.
“The next thing, everybody came on the street, so there was a lot of screaming and panicking, which obviously made it a lot worse,” he said, recalling the chaos that followed as people rushed to safety.
Death toll rises past 1,000 in Myanmar, junta says
Saturday 29 March 2025 05:20 , Shweta SharmaA total of 1,002 people have died across Myanmar following Friday's powerful earthquake, according to the country's military junta.
At least 2,376 people have been injured and 30 are missing, it said.
The death toll is expected to rise further as the search continues for missing people, and many injured remain critical.
News about the full extent of the devastation from the earthquake is only emerging slowly as many areas are not easily accessible due to the civil war in the country, where rebel forces control some parts.
Almost 694 people have died just in Mandalay, the city closest to the earthquake's epicentre.
There were nearly 100 deaths in the capital Naypyidaw.
15 tonnes of aid from India arrives in Yangon
Saturday 29 March 2025 04:43 , Shweta SharmaThe Indian foreign ministry said it has sent a first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material to Myanmar.
The aid includes tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines.
The Indian Air Force plane landed in Yangon on Saturday morning.
#OperationBrahma gets underway.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2025
First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar.
🇮🇳 🇲🇲 pic.twitter.com/OmiJLnYTwS
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi also expressed concerns over the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand.
“Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone. India stands ready to offer all possible assistance. In this regard, asked our authorities to be on standby. Also asked the MEA to remain in touch with the governments of Myanmar and Thailand,” he said, referring to Ministry of External Affairs.
Detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains safe after earthquake - report
Saturday 29 March 2025 04:34 , Shweta SharmaAung San Suu Kyi, the former leader of Myanmar who has been detained since the country's 2021 coup, is safe following the earthquake, BBC Burmese services reported, citing sources.
The 79-year-old civilian leader was imprisoned in the capital Naypyidaw by the military, though her current location remains unknown.
Cape Diamond, a Myanmar-based journalist who reports under a pseudonym, wrote on X that "Suu Kyi is safe and fine", citing a close aide to the former civilian leader.
There is unlikely to be any official update on her situation, given the lack of information provided by the junta throughout the civil war.
China's president Xi Jinping sends condolences to Myanmar's leader after quake
Saturday 29 March 2025 04:10 , Shweta SharmaChina's president Xi Jinping extended condolences to Myanmar's leader after Friday's devastating earthquake, Chinese state media Xinhua and CCTV reported on Saturday.
Tremors were also felt across the border in China’s southwestern remote and mountainous Yunnan province. Some damage was also reported in China.
China earlier said it was ready to help with humanitarian assistance and dispatched a tranche of aid along with rescue workers.
China's foreign ministry said the country stands ready to do its best to provide emergency humanitarian assistance and support to the earthquake-affected area in Myanmar.
It said it wants to "help people there carry out disaster relief and rescue and pull through this trying time."
Tremors continue to rock epicentre Mandalay overnight
Saturday 29 March 2025 03:30 , Shweta SharmaSmall aftershocks continued to rock Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, which was the epicentre of the earthquake, overnight and into Saturday morning.
Residents in many areas spent the night in the streets, setting up their bedding in open areas.
One of the aftershocks measured 6.4 magnitude shortly after the major earthquake on Friday.
Death toll jumps to 694 in Myanmar, military junta says
Saturday 29 March 2025 03:25 , Shweta SharmaAt least 694 have been confirmed dead and 1,670 are injured after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake caused devastation across Myanmar.
The death toll was expected to rise as hundreds remained trapped in rubble, senior general Min Aung Hlaing said as he made a rare appeal for global assistance in a televised address.
Saturday's update marked a significant rise after the junta reported 144 deaths on Friday.
Bangkok lowers death toll to six as 101 missing
Saturday 29 March 2025 03:22 , Shweta SharmaCity authorities in Bangkok have revised the number of people killed in Friday's earthquake down to six after initially reporting 10 deaths.
At least 22 people have been injured, and a search continues for 101 missing people.
The previous death toll late Friday was 10.
Authorities said they lowered the toll because first responders had mistaken some critical cases at the scene as being dead, but when they reached the hospital, they could be resuscitated.
At least two buildings were evacuated overnight in Bangkok as volunteers inspected buildings for damage.
Nearly 2,000 more are to be inspected on Saturday.
‘There's a feeling of: Not this, after everything else that we have suffered’
Saturday 29 March 2025 03:01 , Andy GregoryMyanmar has indeed faced tragedy after tragedy in the last 80 years. The leader of its independence movement, Aung San, was assassinated in 1947, just as he was poised to become Burma’s first post-independence prime minister, reports Annabel Venning.
Then in 1962, just as Burma’s ethnic minority groups were about to get greater autonomy, the military staged a coup, renamed the country Myanmar, and so began decades of repressive military rule that continues today.
Aung San’s daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been imprisoned by the military on and off since 1989. In 2020, she led the National League for Democracy (NLD) to election victory but the military prevented the NLD from taking power. In December 2022, they sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi to 30 years in prison, later reduced to 27, under trumped-up charges of corruption and treason, meaning that she will not be released until she is over 100.
An estimated 200,000 people are believed to have died of disease and starvation in 2008 after Myanmar’s military regime refused to allow aid agencies access in the wake devastating floods brought by Cyclone Nargis.
Mark Farmaner, the director of Burma Campaign UK, says: “There’s a feeling in Myanmar of: ‘Not this, after everything else that we have suffered.’”
China and Russia dispatch rescue teams to Myanmar
Saturday 29 March 2025 02:47 , Shweta SharmaAllies China and Russia have dispatched rescue teams to Myanmar after it was rocked by a powerful earthquake, killing 140 people.
A 37-member team from China's Yunnan province reached the city of Yangon early Saturday, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The team carried emergency relief supplies such as life detectors, earthquake early warning systems and drones, and it is expected to assist in disaster relief and medical treatment efforts.
Russia's emergencies ministry dispatched two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from the official Tass news wire.
"Based on orders from the Russian president and emergencies minister, a group of Russian rescuers has departed to Myanmar on two planes from Zhukovsky Airport outside Moscow to help address the aftermath of a powerful earthquake," Tass reported that a ministry spokesperson said.
