Rescue efforts intensified across Myanmar on Saturday, 29 March 2025, as emergency teams continued searching for survivors of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday.
The disaster has so far claimed at least 1,644 lives, with more than 3,400 people reported injured, according to a statement from Myanmar’s ruling military junta.
The earthquake, which hit near Mandalay at around 1:20 pm local time, was followed by a strong 6.7-magnitude aftershock.
The Thai Meteorological Department later confirmed that the original tremor measured 8.2 on the Richter scale and occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, contributing to its destructive impact.
In Mandalay, one of the worst-hit areas, there was a rare moment of hope when rescue workers pulled a 30-year-old woman, Phyu Lay Khaing, alive from the ruins of the Sky Villa Condominium after 30 hours trapped.
She was taken to hospital by stretcher and accompanied by her husband, Ye Aung. Authorities fear that more than 90 people may still be buried under the building’s debris.
Search and rescue teams are working under extremely challenging conditions, often without protective gear and using bare hands to clear rubble.
Communication blackouts, damaged infrastructure, and the ongoing civil conflict in Myanmar have all impeded relief operations.
In Bangkok, Thailand, authorities are also searching for survivors after a 30-storey under-construction building collapsed during the tremors.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Saturday that cranes and heavy machinery are being deployed at the site near Chatuchak market, where 10 people have been confirmed dead and many more are missing.
Myanmar’s junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, issued a rare international plea for aid on Friday and declared a state of emergency across six affected regions.
Rescue and medical teams from Russia and China arrived on Saturday, while Taiwan has placed 126 personnel on standby.
India has deployed a search and rescue unit along with a medical team, and Singapore sent 80 team members. Malaysia is expected to send 50 personnel on Sunday.
The international response includes financial aid commitments. The United Nations has allocated US$5 million (approx. S$6.76 million) for emergency relief.
The UK Foreign Office announced a support package worth £10 million (about S$17.36 million), while the European Union pledged €2.5 million (about S$3.68 million). The EU’s crisis management commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, affirmed solidarity with the people of Myanmar and the region.
However, coordinating aid delivery remains fraught with obstacles. The World Food Programme’s Myanmar director, Michael Dunford, said the task would be “very challenging” and that the full extent of the damage might not be known for days or weeks.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that hospitals and health facilities have suffered extensive damage, and there is a severe shortage of medical supplies.
Myanmar’s infrastructure has been heavily impacted, with bridges, roads, religious sites, hotels, and universities reported destroyed or severely damaged.
Saturday night saw many residents in Mandalay sleeping outdoors, fearful of aftershocks or due to the collapse of their homes.
As of 6 am on Saturday, the Thai Meteorological Department had recorded 77 mild aftershocks across Myanmar. A 2.0-magnitude aftershock was also felt in Tambon Wiang Nuea, Pai district, Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand.
The earthquake is attributed to the Sagaing Fault, a major tectonic fault running over 1,200 km from the Andaman Sea through key Myanmar cities including Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Toungoo, and Pegu.
The fault lies at the boundary between the Indian and Sunda plates and has long been considered a seismic threat.
Despite Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation for “any country, any organisation” to assist, the junta has a history of obstructing humanitarian aid to opposition-controlled territories.
The Norwegian Refugee Council stressed the need for “immediate and unhindered access for aid workers.”
The earthquake struck an already crisis-hit Myanmar, where conflict between the military regime and a coalition of ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy resistance fighters continues.
Reports indicate that military airstrikes in regions such as Sagaing have persisted even after the earthquake, complicating the humanitarian response.
The World Health Organization has warned of a significant threat to life and health in the aftermath, and said it is preparing to scale up its support efforts across the affected zones.
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