Myanmar earthquake news highlights: Death toll rises to 1,644, widespread damage

Earthquake news LIVE: An additional rescue team of 82 people departed from Beijing, just hours after another team of emergency responders from Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, arrived in the quake-hit region.

In addition, 16 members of the Chinese civil relief group Blue Sky Rescue Team, based in Ruili, Yunnan, have headed to Muse City in northern Myanmar to assist with relief efforts. According to state broadcaster CGTN, Chinese authorities also dispatched the first batch of 80 tents and 290 blankets early Saturday to support the victims.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Operations at six airports of Thailand, including those in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Chiang Rai and Phuket, have returned to normal and have undergone safety inspections following Friday's earthquake that hit the Thai capital, Airports of Thailand said.

In a statement on Saturday, it confirmed the structural integrity of buildings at those airports and found aviation infrastructure met safety standards.

(via Reuters)

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Two more Indian Air Force aircraft were being loaded with relief material for Myanmar on Saturday, news agency ANI reported, adding that the planes will depart from air force station of UP's Hindon soon.

Earlier today, approximately 15 tonnes of relief material was sent to Myanmar on an IAF C-130 J aircraft from AFS Hindon.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar's military-led government said in a statement on Saturday 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.”

The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several aftershocks including one measuring a strong 6.4 magnitude. It sent buildings in many areas toppling to the ground, cracked roads, caused bridges to collapse and burst a dam.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar's government said blood was in high demand in the hardest-hit areas, according to a news agency PTI report. In a country where prior governments sometimes have been slow to accept foreign aid, Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar was ready to accept assistance.

The death toll from the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks in Myanmar has jumped to over 1,000 as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: India has launched 'Operation Brahma' to support earthquake-impacted Myanmar. Indian Air Force C-130 J aircraft carrying approximately 15 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, landed in Yangon on Saturday.

In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote, "Operation Brahma - India acts as a First Responder to assist the people of Myanmar affected by yesterday's massive earthquake. Our first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has landed in Yangon.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: South Korea will provide an initial humanitarian aid of $2 million to Myanmar through international organisations to help the country tackle the destruction caused by the massive earthquake that struck on Friday, Seoul's foreign ministry was cited as saying by Reuters.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Chinese president Xi Jinping on Saturday extended condolences over the devastation caused by the earthquake in Myanmar to its ruling junta chief Min Aung Hlaing.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, Xi "expressed deep sorrow" over the damage and said that China is "willing to provide Myanmar the needed assistance to support people in the affected areas".

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar earthquake toll has topped 1,000, reported news agency AFP, citing Junta.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: An Indian currently living in the closer vicinity of the building that collapsed, Vinay Kumar Yadav, said, “We could hear the scream of the people, and there was chaos everywhere... This place used to be crowded on these two days, but today, no one is around. Labourers who were working are trapped in the debris...Many of the buildings are damaged, a few of them are being vacated as cracks have opened up...”

(via ANI)

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: China President Xi Jinping extended condolences to Myanmar's leader after Friday's earthquake that has killed nearly 700 people, Chinese state media Xinhua and CCTV reported on Saturday.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The first tranche of 15 tonnes of relief material from India, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines, has landed in Yangon

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar’s military leader on Friday appealed for international aid to cater to the aftermath of the powerful earthquake that has killed at least 694 people, a toll the country expects will go up as rescue efforts continue.

The earthquake and multiple aftershock, also affected neighboring Thailand, China, and Vietnam. In Thailand, authorities said at least six people were killed and more than 100 missing after a building under construction collapsed.

“In some areas, buildings collapsed so rescue efforts are still under way,” Bloomberg quoted junta chief Min Aung Hlaing as saying in a video speech on state broadcaster MRTV. “As we carry out extensive rescue and relief efforts, I would like to request help,” he added.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: A construction worker on Saturday recalled the horror he witnessed the day before as a Bangkok skyscraper collapsed "in the blink of an eye" after a massive earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand.

The 30-storey building crumbled to a rubble in just a few seconds. A construction worker told AFP how the building, which was being built to house government offices, collapsed right after his brother entered his shift.

"When my shift ended around 1:00 pm I went outside to get water and I saw my younger brother before I went out. When I went outside, I saw dust everywhere and I just ran to escape from the collapsing building," Khin Aung told AFP.

"I can't describe how I feel -- it happened in the blink of an eye," he added.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The country's ruling junta said on Saturday that the death toll from the massive earthquake in Myanmar rose to 694, with 1,670 others being injured, an AFP report said.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The scale of devastation left behind by the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar on Wednesday has prompted a rare plea from the country's military regime for international assistance.

Myanmar's junta chief invited "any country, any organization" to help with relief and that he "opened all ways for foreign aid".

Assistance offers poured in, with neighbour India being among the first to say that it was ready to help.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Authorities in Thailand's Bangkok city revised the number of people killed in Friday's earthquake down to six, along with 22 people injured and 101 missing.

The previous death toll late Friday was 10.

Authorities, cited in an Associated Press report, 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.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: China, Russia and India have dispatched rescuers to Myanmar, to help deal with the powerful earthquake that caused widespread damage.

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, Xinhua said, and the team is expected to provide assistance in disaster relief and medical treatment efforts.

Russia’s emergencies ministry reportedly sent two planes carrying 120 rescuers and supplies, according to a report from Russia state news agency Tass.

“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.

(via AP)

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Myanmar, located along the active Sagaing Fault, is no stranger to powerful quakes. Between 1930 and 1956, the country experienced multiple strong tremors. Here’s a quick breakdown of the seismic history and the fault line that caused today’s devastation.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Visuals shared by Shanghai Daily showed before-and-after comparison of Mahamuni Buddha Temple in Mandalay in Myanmar, following the earthquake.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: Around 15 tonnes of relief material is being sent to Myanmar on an Indian Air Force (IAF) C 130 J aircraft from Hindon air force station. The relief material includes tents, sleeping bags, blankets, ready-to-eat meals, water purifiers, hygiene kits, solar lamps, generator sets, essential Medicines (Paracetamol, antibiotics, canula, syringes, gloves, cotton bandages, urine bags, etc), according to sources cited by news agency ANI.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: As per to US Geological Survey (USGS) data, a total 15 earthquakes were recorded in Myanmar within 10 hours on Friday, starting with the massive 7,7 magnitude trembler that struck the country at 06:20:54 (UTC).

The most powerful aftershock was measured at Magnitude 6.7, occurring at 06:32:04 (UTC), according to USGS.

Myanmar earthquake LIVE: The strong earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has resulted in at least 144 deaths and over 732 injuries, with the toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue. In neighboring Thailand, a high-rise under construction collapsed in Bangkok, leaving at least 10 dead.

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