Earthquake in Myanmar has claimed the lives of 3,085 people

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar nearly a week ago rose to 3,085 on Thursday, as search and rescue teams discovered new bodies, the military-led government said, UNN writes, citing AP.

Details

In a brief statement, the military said another 4,715 people were injured and 341 were missing.

The epicenter of Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake was located near Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city. It collapsed thousands of buildings, damaged roads and destroyed bridges in many regions.

Local media report casualties that are much higher than official figures, and given the ubiquitous lack of telecommunications and the inaccessibility of many places, the figures are believed to rise sharply as new details emerge.

At the same time, five days after the earthquake, survivors were still being found and pulled from the rubble.

Impact on the conflict

Myanmar's military seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has turned into a civil war.

According to the United Nations, the earthquake has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people displaced and nearly 20 million in need of assistance even before it occurred.

Amid growing fears that ongoing fighting could hamper humanitarian relief efforts, the military announced a temporary ceasefire on Wednesday until April 22. The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to military rule.

The military said in a statement that they would still take "necessary" measures against these groups if they used the ceasefire to regroup, train or attack.

Bangkok

In Bangkok, where the earthquake collapsed a skyscraper under construction, the search for survivors and bodies continued, amid Governor Chadchart Sittipunt's announcement that a "possible sound of life" had been detected in the rubble. 22 people died and 35 were injured in the city, mostly due to the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper.