Hundreds of people are feared dead after a 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar. Tremors from the quake, which had its epicentre near Mandalay, caused devastation across Southeast Asia, including in Bangkok.
Over 80 construction workers are missing in the Thai capital after a 30-storey building that was under construction collapsed. Search and rescue teams are scrambling to locate those who are trapped under the rubble.
In Myanmar, a country already facing a brutal civil war that has claimed thousands of lives, buildings have collapsed and hundreds of people are missing.
Myanmar’da meydana gelen 7.7 büyüklüğündeki depremde gökdelenin çatısındaki havuzda yüzenlerin aşağı düştüğü söyleniyor. pic.twitter.com/OMvG8MLcLh
— geyikio (@geyikbeyefendi) March 28, 2025
The junta has declared a state of emergency in six regions, including in the capital Naypyidaw. Hospitals there have been overwhelmed with injured survivors, forcing medical staff to treat patients outside due to structural damage. Roads and bridges have been destroyed, hampering relief operations.
My own home, in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, shook violently in the earthquake.
The international community has offered support to Myanmar, with the European Union and India expressing readiness to assist. But it is unclear if the country’s ruling military junta will allow assistance in: they have a long history of denying aid from other nations.
Hundreds of homes destroyed in Myanmar’s 7.7M earthquake — Rescue teams are pulling survivors from the rubble in Mandalay as operations begin#earthquake #deprem #MyanmarEarthquake pic.twitter.com/Zjq2rnfwCa
— Ronny (@FreePalesten) March 28, 2025
Memories of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, when Myanmar’s then-military government blocked international aid, linger grimly. The refusal to allow proper humanitarian aid into the country caused even more pain, extending the destruction and loss.
The murderous junta claims they are stepping in to manage the crisis, but their efforts will likely fall short. Ultimately, as ever, it will be the people of Myanmar who rise from the shattered earth, stitching their communities back together with strength and resilience.
No foreign rescue mission will save them, not in regards to the war, nor today with nature’s sudden fury. They will save themselves, as they always have.
Although Myanmar continues to be impacted by conflict, natural disasters, and political instability, these moments of devastation are when the resilience of the Myanmar people shines brightest. Communities will come together to protect their loved ones. They will rebuild their homes, and support one another like they have time and time again.
