The stench of decaying dead bodies permeated the air in Mandalay-- Myanmar's second-largest city-- on Sunday as rescuers worked frantically to clear rubble in the hope of finding people still alive, two days after a massive earthquake killed at least 1,700 people and left countless others buried. The initial 7.7-magnitude quake struck midday Friday with an epicenter near Mandalay, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock.
The strong tremors downed collapsed buildings, downed bridges, buckled roads and damaged other infrastructure in the city of more than 1.7 million people. The quake also jolted neighbouring Thailand, where at least 17 in Bangkok.
Most residents in Mandalay spent the night sleeping on the streets, either left homeless by the quake or worried that the continuing aftershocks might cause structures left unstable to collapse. A 5.1 magnitude aftershock Sunday afternoon prompted screams from those in the streets, and then the work continued.
Satellite Images Released
Satellite images of Myanmar show the aftermath of the earthquake that damaged critical infrastructure, including airports, highways, and bridges, hindering the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid.
Collapsed Ma Shi Kha Na pagoda and surrounding buildings, Sagaing, Myanmar. Click here for high resolution pic.
Footage from Naypyitaw International Airport shows that its control tower fell due to strong jolts. Due to damage at the airport, flights carrying rescue teams from India and China had to land at the airport in Yangon instead of going directly to the major stricken cities of Mandalay and Naypyitaw.
Collapsed Anada Pagoda and Pindaya Monastery, Mandalay, Myanmar. Click here for high resolution pic.
They also show destruction and devastation at the Masoeyein Monastery and surrounding areas, where historical infrastructure and vegetation have been impacted.
Collapsed and destroyed shacks and buildings, Mandalay, Myanmar. Click here for high resolution pic.
The Inwa Bridge over the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay have also collapsed, the images showed.
Relief And Rescue Work Impacted
Relief efforts have been hampered by buckled roads, rails and bridges, spotty communications and the challenges of operating in a country in the midst of a civil war.
The search for survivors has been primarily conducted by the local residents without the aid of heavy equipment, moving rubble by hand and with shovels in 41-degree Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) heat, with only the occasional tracked excavator to be seen, according to a report by Associated Press.
Number Of Deaths Increases
Myanmar's ruling junta said in a statement Sunday afternoon that about 1,700 people were confirmed dead so far, about 3,400 injured and around 300 more missing.
But the true scale of the disaster remains unclear in the isolated military-ruled state, and the toll is expected to rise significantly.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing also issued an exceptionally rare appeal for international aid on Friday, indicating the severity of the calamity. Previous military governments have shunned foreign assistance, even after major natural disasters.
Myanmar has already been ravaged by four years of civil war sparked by a military coup in 2021. Anti-junta fighters in the country have declared a two-week partial ceasefire in quake-affected regions starting Sunday, the shadow "National Unity Government" said in a statement.
Across the border in Thailand, rescuers in Bangkok worked Sunday to pluck out survivors trapped when a 30-storey skyscraper under construction collapsed after the Friday earthquake.
At least 17 people have been killed in the Thai capital, city authorities said on Sunday, with 32 injured and 83 still missing.
(With inputs from agencies)
