Death Toll Rises to 1,000 After Devastating Earthquakes in Myanmar

Yangon, MINA – The death toll from the catastrophic earthquakes that struck Myanmar on Friday has risen to 1,000, with over 2,300 people injured, according to state media reports on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reported.

The Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) reported that 1,002 individuals have been confirmed dead, 2,376 injured, and 30 remain missing.

International aid efforts are intensifying as Myanmar and neighboring Thailand recover from the powerful quakes.

A China Eastern Airlines flight delivered vital aid, including medical supplies, tents, and blankets, to Myanmar. The flight, which landed at Yangon International Airport at 8:35 am on Saturday, carried 37 Chinese rescuers and five tons of relief materials.

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India has also sent 15 tons of relief, including tents, sleeping bags, and medical equipment, while Russia dispatched two aircraft with 120 specialists to assist with recovery operations. The United Nations has allocated $5 million for earthquake relief and is assessing further needs.

In Thailand, 11 provinces were affected, with eight people reported dead and 101 missing after a skyscraper in Bangkok collapsed. In Myanmar, at least 50 mosques collapsed during Friday prayers, resulting in nearly 300 deaths.

Myanmar’s junta leader, Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, visited the affected areas in Mandalay to oversee rescue operations, and in a rare move, called for international humanitarian assistance.

The earthquake, with a 7.7 magnitude, struck Myanmar’s Sagaing region, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock.

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International solidarity continues as countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Australia, Pakistan, and New Zealand offer aid to the disaster-stricken nation, which is already struggling with internal ethnic conflicts. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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