YANGON, Myanmar — A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, March 28, 2025, leading to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. As of Saturday, March 29, the death toll had risen to 1,002, according to the country’s military government, with international aid teams mobilizing to assist in rescue efforts. The earthquake, which hit around midday, caused widespread destruction across central and eastern regions of Myanmar, severely damaging infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and hospitals, notably parts of a 1,000-bed hospital in Naypyidaw, the capital.
The tremors were not confined to Myanmar; neighboring Thailand also felt the quake’s impact, resulting in at least 17 fatalities. In Bangkok, a skyscraper under construction collapsed, trapping at least 30 individuals beneath the rubble, with 49 others reported missing. The U.S. Geological Survey has warned that the death toll in Myanmar could exceed 10,000, while financial losses are projected to surpass the country’s annual economic output.
In a rare move, the ruling junta, which seized power in a military coup in 2021, issued an appeal for international assistance. “Search and rescue operations are currently being carried out in the affected areas,” the junta stated in a broadcast on state media.
China was among the first to respond, dispatching a rescue team to Yangon, although the city is hundreds of kilometers away from the hardest-hit areas, including Mandalay. Other nations, including Russia, India, Malaysia, and Singapore, also began deploying aircraft loaded with relief supplies and emergency personnel. South Korea announced an initial $2 million aid package, while India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar indicated that further assistance would follow as conditions on the ground become clearer. Despite its tense relations with Myanmar’s military leadership, the United States has signaled its intent to provide humanitarian support.
The disaster has exacerbated Myanmar’s already fragile infrastructure and state capacity, as the country remains embroiled in a protracted civil war, with significant territories beyond the control of the military-led government. In Mandalay, local residents joined rescue workers in their efforts to pull survivors from the wreckage. However, the lack of adequate machinery and emergency tools has hampered their efforts.
One survivor, Htet Min Oo, 25, shared his harrowing experience after being buried beneath a collapsed wall. “I don’t know if they’re still alive,” he said, tears in his eyes, as he recounted his desperate attempts to dig through the debris to rescue his grandmother and two uncles.
The earthquake struck at midday, followed by strong aftershocks, including one measuring 6.4 in magnitude. Reports indicate that emergency crews worked tirelessly to repair damaged roads in Naypyidaw, where electricity, phone, and internet services were down in most areas. Entire sections of Naypyidaw, including residential buildings housing government workers, were cordoned off by authorities.
Meanwhile, in Thailand, where the tremors were felt across the greater Bangkok area, residents experienced mass evacuations and a temporary suspension of public transport. The quake’s effects were felt significantly, leading to the collapse of a high-rise building in Bangkok nearly 1,300 kilometers from the epicenter. The building’s collapse resulted in 18 fatalities, including 11 workers, and left at least 33 others injured.
As rescue operations entered their third day, emergency teams in Bangkok continued their search for survivors, utilizing drones and sniffer dogs to locate individuals trapped beneath the rubble. At least 76 people remained unaccounted for, intensifying the urgency of the rescue efforts.
International aid has begun to arrive, with countries like India and China taking the lead in providing assistance. China has dispatched 135 rescue personnel, medical supplies, and generators, pledging $13.8 million in emergency aid. A convoy of 17 Chinese cargo trucks carrying shelter and medical supplies was expected to reach Mandalay on Sunday, March 30. India sent two C-17 military aircraft carrying a field hospital unit and 120 personnel to establish a 60-bed emergency treatment center in Mandalay.
Russia has also contributed by deploying 120 rescuers, medical teams, and supplies to assist in the recovery efforts. The World Health Organization (WHO) is mobilizing trauma supplies from its logistics hub in Dubai and coordinating relief efforts from Geneva. Other nations, including the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, have also sent emergency aid to support the beleaguered nation.
However, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned of a severe shortage of medical supplies, which is significantly hampering relief efforts. As the world rallies to assist Myanmar, the country faces a long and challenging road to recovery, with thousands still in urgent need of medical care and shelter.
The earthquake resulted from the rupture of a 200-kilometer section of the fault, causing extensive damage across central Myanmar, particularly in the Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway, and Bago regions and Shan State. The tremors were felt far beyond Myanmar, highlighting the earthquake's intensity and its far-reaching impact.
Experts have noted that the earthquake released more energy than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, with its epicenter located just 10 kilometers beneath the surface, intensifying the shaking experienced above ground. The straight alignment of the fault allowed energy to travel along its length, stretching 1,200 kilometers southward toward Thailand.
As rescue teams continue their efforts and international aid flows in, the situation remains dire, with families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones. The scale of the disaster is staggering, and the path to recovery will be long, fraught with challenges as the people of Myanmar confront the aftermath of this devastating earthquake.
