In Myanmar, the death toll from the earthquake has risen to more than 2000 people
31 March 2025 18:55
In Myanmar, the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 2056, with more than 3900 injured. 270 people are missing.
This was reported by the BBC, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The World Health Organization reported the destruction of three hospitals and partial destruction of 22 other medical facilities. The organization noted that the medical system is overloaded and announced an urgent collection of $8 million for emergency assistance.
It is also known that at the time of the earthquake, 270 monks were in the Hla Thein monastery in Mandalay taking a religious exam. According to rescuers, 70 managed to escape, 50 died, and 150 are still missing.
The UN representative in Myanmar said that the humanitarian situation in the country remained critical even before the earthquake, and that about 20 million people needed help.
The Guardian writes that the US Geological Survey (USGS) predicts that the death toll could rise to 10,000, and economic losses will exceed the country’s annual GDP.
Why might the information about the number of victims be inaccurate?
The BBC notes that it is difficult to obtain accurate information about the deaths and injuries in Myanmar, as the country’s authorities have restricted access to the media and the Internet since 2021, taking control of local communication channels.
According to Reuters , the country’s military council has rejected requests from international journalists to cover the destruction, citing a lack of water, electricity, and hotels. Communication with the affected areas is also hampered by the ongoing conflict in the country.
What is known about the earthquake?
on March 28, an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers with an epicenter in Myanmar, according to preliminary estimates by the US Geological Survey and the German Center for Earth Sciences GFZ.
In the evening of the same day, the situation in Thailand began to ease, and people were able to safely return to their homes. In Myanmar, however, there were interruptions in the Internet and electricity supply due to infrastructure damage.
on March 29, local authorities received 2,000 reports of high-rise buildings potentially affected by the earthquake.
