🚨 Over 400 survivors have been pulled from rubble in Myanmar’s Mandalay region following a devastating magnitude-7.9 earthquake – but hopes dim as the death toll surpasses 2,700. The quake, which struck last Friday, flattened homes, cut communications, and forced thousands to sleep under open skies amid aftershock fears.
🏚️ Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, saw entire neighborhoods crumble. Rescue teams, working nonstop even after the critical 72-hour window, have recovered 259 bodies locally while battling to reach isolated towns. Nationwide, 4,521 are injured, and 441 remain missing. At least 19 died in neighboring Thailand.
🆘 “Safe spaces are scarce – tents, water, and medical aid are urgently needed,” an International Rescue Committee worker told Reuters. Hospitals relocated patients to parking lots, using tarps as makeshift shelters from the scorching sun. Many residents, traumatized by tremors, refuse to return indoors.
🇲🇲 The Myanmar government declared a week of mourning, asking citizens to pause for a moment of silence Tuesday. Temples nationwide will hold prayers as recovery efforts continue. With remote areas still cut off, the toll is expected to rise.
💬 “The world can’t look away,” said disaster response experts, urging global support. Follow @NewspaperAmigo for updates on relief efforts and ways to help. 🌍✊
