Massive quake hits Myanmar and Thailand; over 1,000 dead, aid urgently needed

March 29, 2025 | WFIR News Staff

The death toll from Friday’s 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has surged past 1,000, with more victims expected as rescue crews continue digging through collapsed buildings across the country and in neighboring Thailand.

Myanmar’s military government confirmed Saturday morning that 1,002 people are dead, with 2,376 injured and 30 still missing. Most of the damage is concentrated near Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, but reports of destruction are widespread. A 6.4 magnitude aftershock has hampered rescue efforts.

The quake caused extensive infrastructure damage, buckling roads, toppling homes and monasteries, and triggering a dam collapse that flooded nearby lowland areas. In the capital Naypyitaw, power and communications remain down in large sections of the city. The airport’s control tower collapsed, rerouting incoming aid flights to Yangon.

Civilian volunteers and rescue teams continue to search for survivors. But with much of the country already gripped by a bloody civil war and humanitarian crisis, aid efforts are slowed by violence, limited access, and ongoing military attacks in quake-affected regions.

“This disaster is layered on top of immense suffering,” said Haider Yaqub, Myanmar country director for Plan International. “Most of us have never seen destruction like this.”

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Thailand, six people have died and 47 are still missing after a 33-story building under construction collapsed. Families waited through the night, many fearing the worst.

More than 135 Chinese rescue workers have arrived in Myanmar, along with aid and personnel from Russia, India, Malaysia, and South Korea. The United Nations has pledged $5 million in initial relief funds. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will offer support, though concerns remain over cuts to foreign aid.

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