Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700, UK pledges £10m in aid

RESCUE efforts continued in Myanmar as residents searched for survivors in collapsed buildings in Mandalay, two days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The disaster has killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and 17 in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake hit near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging buildings, bridges, and roads in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Win Lwin, a tea shop owner, was among those searching through the rubble of a collapsed restaurant on Sunday. “About seven people died here,” he told AFP. “I’m looking for more bodies, but I know there cannot be any survivors. We don’t know how many bodies there could be, but we are looking.”

An aftershock struck an hour later, sending people rushing out of a hotel. Another aftershock, measuring 5.1 in magnitude according to the US Geological Survey, hit at around 2:00 pm (0730 GMT), temporarily halting rescue operations.

The night before, rescue teams pulled a woman out alive from the debris of a collapsed apartment building. Applause broke out as she was carried on a stretcher to an ambulance.

Myanmar’s ruling junta said in a statement on Sunday that around 1,700 people were confirmed dead, with about 3,400 injured and 300 missing. The full extent of the disaster remains unclear, and the death toll is expected to rise.

At a collapsed Buddhist examination hall in Mandalay, Myanmar and Chinese rescue teams were searching for victims.

More than 180 monks were inside when the quake struck, and a large section of the building collapsed. So far, 21 people have been rescued, 13 bodies have been recovered, and at least two more people are believed to be alive under the rubble.

San Nwe Aye, whose 46-year-old monk brother is missing in the collapse, said she has not received any news. “I want to hear the sound of him preaching,” she told AFP. “The whole village looked up to him.”

International aid and challenges

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing made a rare appeal for international assistance on Friday, highlighting the scale of the crisis. Myanmar’s military rulers have previously rejected foreign aid, even after major disasters.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the 2021 military coup, with ongoing conflict displacing 3.5 million people. The opposition-led National Unity Government announced a two-week partial ceasefire in quake-affected areas starting Sunday.

The UN warned that Myanmar is struggling to respond due to a lack of medical supplies, and aid agencies say the country is unprepared for a disaster of this scale.

Rescue teams from several countries have arrived. Thailand sent 55 military personnel, six rescue dogs, and equipment including cranes and diggers.

The Myanmar Red Cross said it is providing assistance in Mandalay, posting images of displaced families on X.

Building collapse in Bangkok

In Thailand, a 30-storey building under construction collapsed in Bangkok following the earthquake, killing at least 17 people. Authorities said 32 were injured and 83 remain missing.

Most of the casualties were construction workers. Heavy machinery, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging drones are being used to search for survivors in the debris. Engineers are also assessing damage to 165 buildings across the city.

UK announces £10 million for Myanmar quake relief

The UK has pledged £10 million in humanitarian aid to Myanmar. The funds will be used for food, water, medicine, and shelter in the worst-hit areas, the UK Foreign Office said.

"UK-funded local partners are already mobilising a humanitarian response on the ground," said development minister Jennifer Chapman.

"I offer my deepest sympathies to the people of Myanmar after this tragic event," she added.

Myanmar’s ruling junta made a rare plea for international aid following the disaster. The UK has previously imposed sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Myanmar’s military government