The death toll from strong earthquake in Myanmar rises to 3,085 people.

A powerful earthquake that struck on March 28 in Myanmar continues to claim lives, with the official death toll rising to at least 3,085 as of Thursday, April 3. The military government of Myanmar has reported that an additional 4,715 people have been injured, while 341 remain missing.

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred last Friday near Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. The strong tremors have devastated multiple regions, leading to the collapse of thousands of buildings, roads warping, and bridges being destroyed.

Despite the alarming figures released by the authorities, local media outlets have pointed out that the actual casualties may be even more severe. Due to communication disruptions and blocked transportation routes, many disaster-stricken areas are difficult to access. The current data may only reveal the tip of the iceberg.

Prior to the earthquake, Myanmar was already facing a severe humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has stated that over 3 million people have been displaced due to internal conflict, with nearly 20 million individuals in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. This earthquake undoubtedly exacerbates an already dire situation.

Since the military coup in 2021 that overthrew the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has been embroiled in a state of civil war. The frequent clashes between the military government and various local armed groups have raised concerns that the ongoing conflict will further hinder post-disaster relief efforts.

In an effort to aid in disaster relief, the military government announced a temporary ceasefire from Wednesday, April 2, until April 22. Prior to this, several rebel groups had unilaterally declared short-term ceasefires.

However, the military has also issued a warning that should opposition armed forces utilize the ceasefire period to reorganize, train, or launch attacks, they will take “necessary action” in response.

The earthquake has had repercussions on several neighboring countries. In the capital of Thailand, Bangkok, the earthquake caused a building under construction to collapse, resulting in 22 confirmed deaths, 35 injuries, and dozens of individuals still missing. It has been reported that one of the contractors involved in the construction of the building was a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned enterprise “China Railway Tenth Bureau,” yet mainland Chinese media have remained silent with little to no coverage on the matter.

Bangkok Mayor Chadchart Sittipunt stated that rescue teams are still conducting search operations at the site of the collapse, and signs of potential survivors have been detected, with personnel exerting all efforts to rescue any possible survivors present.

(References for this article include reports from Reuters and CNA)