Naypitaw, Myanmar – A Myanmar Muslim organization says more than 700 worshippers were killed when a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the country at midday on Friday, coinciding with prayer time during the holy month of Ramadan. The death toll from the disaster has now risen to over 1,700, according to the country’s military-led government, as rescue teams pulled more bodies from the rubble across affected regions, including the capital, Naypitaw, and the second-largest city, Mandalay, on Monday.
Government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, speaking on state-run MRTV, reported that 3,400 people have been injured and more than 300 remain missing. The military’s earlier count of 1,644 fatalities was updated without specific details, hinting at the ongoing chaos and difficulty in tracking the disaster’s full toll.
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Tun Kyi, a member of the Spring Revolution Myanmar Muslim Network’s steering committee, confirmed the deaths of approximately 700 worshippers due to mosque collapses during Friday prayers. It remains uncertain whether these losses are included in the official figures. Videos circulating on The Irrawaddy news site captured the dramatic collapse of several mosques, with panicked residents fleeing the scenes. Tun Kyi added that around 60 mosques were damaged or destroyed in the quake.
The disaster’s true scale may be far worse than reported. Telecommunication outages and restricted movement have left many areas cut off, obscuring the extent of casualties and damage. “We’re really not clear on the scale of the destruction at this stage,” said Lauren Ellery, deputy director of programs in Myanmar for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), in an interview with The Associated Press. A state of emergency has been declared in six regions, where IRC teams and local partners are distributing emergency medical care and humanitarian aid while assessing priority needs.
Ellery highlighted reports of a town near Mandalay where 80% of buildings reportedly collapsed, though news of the destruction has been slow to emerge due to communication breakdowns. Landslides have further complicated access, with one partner reporting blocked routes to a village even in less-affected areas.
In Mandalay, a cultural hub with a population of 1.5 million, the quake toppled buildings and damaged critical infrastructure, including the city’s airport. Search and rescue efforts have been hampered by a shortage of heavy machinery, leaving many to dig through debris by hand in sweltering heat exceeding 40°C (104°F).
Ripple Effects in Thailand
The earthquake’s impact extended beyond Myanmar, shaking neighboring Thailand and claiming at least 18 lives. In Bangkok, a partially constructed high-rise near the bustling Chatuchak market collapsed, killing many workers at the site. Authorities report 33 injuries and 78 people still missing. Rescue operations there have relied on heavy equipment, with officials pausing machinery at times to listen for signs of life beneath the rubble.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, speaking to reporters on Sunday night, acknowledged faint signals detected under the debris but cautioned they could be machine errors. “Even if one life is saved, it is worth all the effort,” he said, expressing cautious optimism as the search continues.
A Race Against Time
As Myanmar grapples with one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent memory, the lack of resources and ongoing communication challenges threaten to delay critical aid. With hundreds still unaccounted for and thousands injured, the international community watches closely as local and global responders work to uncover the full scope of this tragedy.
