Hopes of finding more survivors diminished on Monday (March 31, 2025), as Myanmar and Thailand continued to grapple with the aftermath of a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake. The disaster has claimed at least 1,700 lives, leaving thousands homeless and rescue efforts strained under extreme conditions.
Rescue Efforts Struggle in Myanmar’s Mandalay
Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, has suffered some of the worst destruction, with buildings reduced to rubble, bridges destroyed, and roads buckled.
Temperatures are soaring above 40°C (104°F), exhausting rescue workers and accelerating body decomposition, making identification increasingly difficult.
Aftershocks continue to shake the city, sending already panicked residents fleeing into the streets.
In one heartbreaking rescue attempt, emergency workers amputated the leg of a pregnant woman trapped under debris for over 55 hours, only to see her succumb to blood loss moments after being pulled out.
“We tried everything to save her,” said one medical responder, as thousands mourn the growing death toll.
Also Read: Operation Brahma: India as the first responder in Myanmar earthquake
Eid Prayers Amidst Ruins & Mass Funerals
Despite the devastation, Muslim worshipers gathered near a collapsed mosque in Mandalay on Monday morning for Eid al-Fitr prayers, marking the end of Ramadan.
Hundreds of funerals are expected throughout the day as families bid farewell to loved ones lost in the disaster.
Relief organizations warn that rising temperatures and the approaching monsoon season could trigger secondary crises, including disease outbreaks and food shortages.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an emergency appeal for over $100 million to aid victims.
Myanmar’s Civil War Complicates Relief Efforts
Even before the quake, Myanmar was ravaged by a civil war following the 2021 military coup.
3.5 million people were already displaced before the quake, facing hunger and instability.
Reports of military airstrikes surfaced just hours after the quake, with seven rebel fighters reportedly killed in an attack.
The earthquake has made an already dire humanitarian crisis even worse, with relief efforts hampered by ongoing violence.
Bangkok Skyscraper Collapse Kills 18, Dozens Still Missing
In Bangkok, Thailand, over 1,000 kilometers from Mandalay, a construction site skyscraper collapsed during the quake.
At least 18 people have been confirmed dead, with 33 injured and 78 still missing.
Rescue workers are racing against time to locate survivors trapped beneath tons of concrete and steel.
Sniffer dogs, thermal imaging drones, and mechanical diggers are being used at the site near the Chatuchak weekend market, a popular tourist spot.
What’s Next?
The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers battle time, heat, and political instability to uncover survivors.
Will Myanmar’s civil war disrupt relief efforts?
How will Thailand handle the Bangkok collapse crisis?
Can international aid organizations prevent a secondary humanitarian disaster?
