The death toll from the devastating earthquake to more than 1700 people has risen
Government spokesman, Major General Zao Min Ton, told MRTV the government that 3,400 other people were injured, while more than 300 people are still missing.
The 7.7 -magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale hit the country in the middle of last Friday, causing widespread damage, including in the capital Naibidao and the second largest city, Mandalay.
The earthquake, which was located near the city of Mandalay, led to the collapse of dozens of buildings and the damage of other infrastructure, such as the city airport.
Tun Kyi, a member of the Guidance Committee of the Rabi’i of Myanmar Revolution, said on Monday that the earthquake took place at the time of Friday prayers, and 700 worshipers were killed when mosques collapsed.
Kyi added that about 60 mosques were damaged or destroyed when the earthquake occurred, and videos on the Irawadi news website showed the collapse of several mosques during the earthquake, and the escape of people.
“We do not know exactly the scope of destruction at this stage,” Lauren Eli, Deputy Director of Programs in Myanmar, told the Associated Press International Rescue Committee.
Emergency imposition in Myanmar
She added that a state of emergency was imposed in six regions, explaining that its teams on the ground and local partners are currently working on the most needy places while providing emergency medical care, humanitarian supplies and other forms of aid.
“They are talking about a town near Mandalay, where it is reported that 80% of the buildings have collapsed, but were not mentioned in the news because of the slow communications,” she said.
The lack of heavy equipment led to the slowing of searches and rescue, which forced many to search for survivors of hands at high temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
In the neighboring Thailand, the earthquake shook most of the country and killed at least 18 people, many of them at a building site in Bangkok, where a tall building collapsed under construction.
It is reported that 33 other people were injured, and 78 people lost mainly at a building site near the Chatoshak market.
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