Myanmar earthquake death toll rises: 'No rescue workers in sight'

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The number of confirmed deaths from Myanmar's devastating earthquake approached 1,700 Sunday and was expected to keep rising as rescue teams and aid agencies struggled to provide relief amid widespread rubble and growing desperation.

The military government put the quake's tentative death toll at 1,644; thousands of others have been injured and hundreds are missing. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, leader of the military government, warned that the number of fatalities could rise and has pleaded for international assistance.

The magnitude 7.7 quake Friday, centered near the northern city of Mandalay, rocked an impoverished Southeast Asian nation already beleaguered by years of civil war. The opposition National Unity Government announced a two-week ceasefire starting Sunday to carry out emergency rescue operations. But the Karen National Union, another opposition army, accused the ruling junta of continuing to conduct air strikes in civilian areas.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said it has mobilized hundreds of volunteers to aid search and rescue efforts, provide first aid and distribute emergency relief items such as blankets, tarpaulins and hygiene kits. 

"This is not just a disaster, it is a complex humanitarian crisis layered over existing vulnerabilities,” said Alexander Matheou, Red Cross regional director for Asia Pacific.

Developments:

◾ The main airport in Myanmar’s capital Naypyitaw, about 150 miles south of Mandalay, was closed after its air traffic control tower collapsed, killing at least six people, Myanmar Now reported.

◾ In Mandalay, scores of people were feared trapped under collapsed buildings while heavy machinery rescuers needed to search the rubble was in short supply.

◾ Crematoriums in Mandalay were overwhelmed, forcing some families to cremate loved ones in the streets, Myanmar Now reported.

Devastation: More deaths reported after Myanmar earthquake

'What we are seeing here is widespread destruction'

The epicenter of the quaked struck near Mandalay, with 1.5 million people the nation's second-largest city. The collapse of sections of a major bridge connecting Mandalay to Sagaing, home to another 300,000 people, slowed the delivery of aid. The Sagaing Federal Unit Hluttaw, a political association, wrote on social media that the situation was dire and there was concern that "people will forget the small city."

"There are not enough charities in the town," the association wrote. "We are only rescuing as much as we can, so the situation is getting worse with time."

Sagaing resident Han Zin told Reuters much of the town still had no electricity Sunday and that drinking water was running low.

"What we are seeing here is widespread destruction. Many buildings have collapsed into the ground," he said. "We have received no aid, and there are no rescue workers in sight."

US among nations promising to help

India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Russia were among countries in the region that rushed to help Myanmar. The United States pledged $2 million in aid through humanitarian organizations and was sending an emergency response team from U.S. Aid for International Development. USAID is undergoing massive cutbacks under the Trump administration.

The task is monumental. The civil war, prompted by a 2021 military coup that ousted the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, had left the nation's critical infrastructure battered and more than 3 million people displaced.

“Myanmar continues to face internal displacement and food insecurity," Matheou said. "This earthquake exacerbates an already fragile situation."

Thailand also rocked by quake

The quake also shook parts of neighboring Thailand, killing at least 18 people across the capital of Bangkok where an unfinished 30-story building collapsed. Thai authorities said at least 76 people remained trapped under the debris, and rescue operations continued for a third day using drones and sniffer dogs to hunt for survivors.

Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Sunday that the building, being constructed by China, should have withstood the quake, the Bangkok Post reported. He said a committee formed to probe the collapse was expected to conclude it work in seven days.

China has sent an expert to inspect the building, and four Chinese workers were questioned for seizing construction documents, he said.

Contributing: Reuters