BANGKOK (AP) — The death toll from the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar nearly a week ago increased to 3,085 on Thursday, as search and rescue teams found more bodies, said the military-led government, while humanitarian groups rushed to provide medical care and shelter to the survivors.
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In a brief statement, the military said that 4,715 other people had been injured and 341 were missing.
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The epicenter of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Friday was near Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. The quake brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads, and destroyed bridges in multiple regions.
Will the number of victims of the earthquake in Myanmar increase?
Local media estimates of victims have been much higher than official figures, and, given the widespread cuts in telecommunications and the fact that many places remain difficult to reach, it is believed that the numbers could increase dramatically as more details emerge.
The World Health Organization said that, according to its initial assessment, four hospitals and a health center had been completely destroyed, while another 32 hospitals and 18 health centers suffered partial damage.
“With compromised infrastructure and the number of patients increasing, access to medical care has become almost impossible in many of the hardest-hit areas. Thousands of people urgently need care for injuries, surgical interventions, and treatment for disease outbreaks,” stated the UN.
A mobile hospital from India and a joint Russian-Belarusian hospital were also operating in Mandalay.
Many people were left homeless due to the earthquake, and many others were avoiding their homes out of fear that the continuous aftershocks would bring them down, while workers in Naipyidó were working hard in open fields at 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) to set up large tents and provide some shelter.
In Mandalay, local residents offered slices of watermelon to Chinese volunteers taking a break from the heat.
More than 1,550 international rescuers were working alongside locals on Thursday, according to a statement from the military. Seventeen countries have sent supplies and rescue equipment.
Military forces declare a ceasefire in the civil war
Myanmar’s army seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, unleashing what has turned into a civil war.
The earthquake worsened an already serious humanitarian crisis, with more than three million people displaced from their homes and almost 20 million in need even before the earthquake, according to the United Nations.
As concerns grew that the ongoing fighting could hinder humanitarian relief efforts, the military declared a temporary ceasefire on Wednesday, until April 22. The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to the military regime.
The military said they would still take “necessary” measures against those groups if they use the ceasefire to regroup, train, or launch attacks.
On Thursday there were reports from local media in the state of Kachin, in northern Myanmar, that military attacks were continuing in several areas, but they could not be independently confirmed.
Before the earthquake, the military was fighting, among others, against the militia group of the Kachin Independence Army. The militia also declared a ceasefire on Wednesday, but reserved the right to defend themselves. It was not clear how the reported combat broke out.