By Deutsche Welle (Asia) | Created at 2025-04-02 08:02:12 | Updated at 2025-04-03 08:36:46
1 day ago
The death toll following a massive earthquake in Myanmar has jumped to 2,886 people, with a further 4,639 injured and 373 missing, Myanmar state-run television reported on Wednesday.
Man pulled out of rubble five days after quake
At the same time, rescuers were able to pull a man alive from the rubble five days after the tremor. The 26-year-old hotel worker was saved by a joint Burmese-Turkish team and brought to a local hospital.
As the humanitarian situation became increasingly dire, calls mounted for Myanmar's military junta to allow more international aid. Beijing said it had delivered aid in cash via its embassy in Naypyitaw, as China is one of a couple dozen countries to maintain a constant diplomatic presence in Myanmar.
The UN has urged the military dictatorship to cease hostilities with rebels in reponse to the 7.7 magnitude quake, but reports indicate that the military has launched several strikes in recent days despite the disaster and a partial truce agreement.
UN special envoy Julie Bishop called on both sides to "focus their efforts on the protection of civilians, including aid workers, and the delivery of life-saving assistance."
Myanmar humanitarian crisis deepens days after quake
China urges construction companies to follow safety guidelines
In Thailand, where the earthquake damage was mostly localized to a single construction site in Bangkok, the death toll had risen to 22 as of Wednesday.
The government in Beijing urged all Chinese construction companies to respect local laws, as questions began to swirl whether the Chinese-led project had been following safety guidelines.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
