1 / 12The powerful 7.7-magnitude quake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, at midday on Friday, toppling buildings and damaging critical infrastructure, including the city’s airport. The tremors were felt as far as Thailand, where at least 17 people have died.
2 / 12In Mandalay, home to 1.5 million residents, many people were forced to sleep on the streets—either left homeless or fearing further aftershocks. Rescue operations remain slow, with volunteers and local residents digging through rubble by hand in search of survivors.
3 / 12“It’s mainly been local volunteers, local people who are just trying to find their loved ones,” said Cara Bragg, Myanmar country manager for Catholic Relief Services. “I’ve also seen reports that now some countries are sending search and rescue teams up to Mandalay to support the efforts, but hospitals are really struggling to cope with the influx of injured people, there’s a shortage of medical supplies, and people are struggling to find food and clean water.”
4 / 12With Mandalay’s airport damaged and Naypyitaw’s control tower destroyed, commercial flights remain suspended. However, India has managed to send two C-17 military transport aircraft carrying a field hospital unit and 120 personnel, who are setting up a 60-bed emergency treatment center. Additional aid from India has been flown into Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, which has become a hub for international relief efforts.
5 / 12China is also stepping in, with a convoy of 17 trucks carrying shelter and medical supplies expected to reach Mandalay after a grueling 14-hour journey from Yangon. Beijing has deployed more than 135 rescue personnel and experts, along with medical kits and generators, pledging $13.8 million in emergency aid. Meanwhile, Russia has sent 120 rescuers and medical teams to assist in relief efforts.
6 / 12Despite these efforts, the window for finding survivors is rapidly closing. Most rescues take place within the first 24 hours of a disaster, and chances of survival diminish with each passing day.
7 / 12A report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has highlighted the urgent need for trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistive devices, and tents for health workers. The situation is particularly dire in areas that have not yet been reached.
8 / 12In neighboring Thailand, the earthquake caused a high-rise under construction in Bangkok—1,300 kilometres (800 miles) from the epicenter—to collapse. Ten bodies have been recovered from the site near Chatuchak market, with 83 people still unaccounted for.
9 / 12Rescue efforts in Myanmar are largely focused on Mandalay and Naypyitaw, where damage has been most severe. However, reports indicate hundreds may still be trapped in other affected areas.
10 / 12“We’re hearing reports of hundreds of people trapped in different areas,” Bragg said. “Right now, we’re at 1,600 (known fatalities), and we don’t have a lot of data coming out, but you’ve got to assume it will be increasing in the thousands based on what the impacts are. This is just anecdotal information at this point.”
11 / 12The disaster has struck a country already suffering from the effects of a brutal civil war. Since the military seized power in 2021, Myanmar has been embroiled in conflict, with government forces losing control over large parts of the country. More than 3 million people have been displaced, and nearly 20 million require humanitarian aid.
12 / 12Aid efforts have been further complicated by military restrictions and continued airstrikes, even in the wake of the earthquake. However, Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government, which commands loyalty from pro-democracy People’s Defense Forces, has announced a unilateral ceasefire to facilitate relief operations. The military regime has yet to respond, while the Three Brotherhood Alliance—one of Myanmar’s most powerful armed groups—has pledged to assist quake victims.
