MANDALAY, MYANMAR — March 31, 2025 | The devastating aftermath of Friday’s twin earthquakes in central Myanmar has left the city of Mandalay in a state of ruin and despair. Rescue efforts continue into the third day, but hope is dwindling for those still trapped beneath collapsed buildings. With soaring temperatures and decaying conditions complicating relief operations, Myanmar faces one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.
Search and Rescue Slowed by Heat, Debris, and Time
In Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, the mercury climbed to nearly 40°C (104°F) Monday morning, exhausting already strained rescue teams. Sticky heat and stench from decomposing bodies have made identification nearly impossible. According to Bangkok Post, emergency workers struggled for over 55 hours to rescue a pregnant woman trapped beneath debris. In a last attempt, her leg was amputated to free her—but she was declared dead soon after.
With hundreds presumed missing, authorities are shifting focus toward mass burials. Locals gathered near the remnants of a destroyed mosque to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, with communal funeral rites expected to follow.
Death Toll Surges as International Help Arrives
At least 1,700 people have died following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake near Mandalay on Friday, followed minutes later by a powerful 6.7 aftershock. Buildings, bridges, and roads in central Myanmar collapsed under the seismic shocks. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency operation aimed at helping over 100 million people affected across Myanmar and Thailand.
The epicenter’s proximity to densely populated areas has worsened the humanitarian crisis, with many families still searching for missing loved ones. Relief operations remain slow, particularly in remote villages cut off by damaged infrastructure.
Thailand Also Impacted; Bangkok Halts Rescue Efforts
In Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, over 1,000 kilometers from Mandalay, a partially constructed building collapsed due to the quake’s distant tremors. Officials suspect that as many as 78 people could be trapped in the wreckage. Rainfall earlier today has forced a suspension of rescue operations. Authorities deployed thermal imaging drones and sniffer dogs to detect signs of life beneath the rubble.
Emergency teams remain on high alert as more aftershocks are anticipated. Structural assessments are ongoing in several Thai provinces near the border to prevent further loss.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
