A 63-year-old woman was found alive under the debris of a building in Myanmar’s capital on Tuesday, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation caused by a powerful earthquake that has claimed over 2,700 lives and exacerbated a humanitarian crisis stemming from a civil conflict.
Rescue teams in Naypyitaw managed to extract the woman after she spent an astonishing 91 hours trapped beneath the rubble following the 7.7 magnitude quake that struck last Friday. Experts caution that the chances of finding more survivors decrease significantly after 72 hours.
Rising Death Toll and Increasing Challenges
Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, disclosed at a relief donation event in Naypyitaw that the death toll has climbed to 2,719, with 4,521 individuals sustaining injuries and 441 still unaccounted for, as reported by Myanmar’s state MRTV television. The earthquake ranks as the second most potent in the nation’s history, following an 8.0 magnitude temblor near Mandalay in May 1912.
Anticipations are grim as casualty figures are expected to mount. The quake’s impact has left many regions without essential services, making it arduous to determine the full extent of the damage to infrastructure and human life.
Mobilizing for Relief Efforts
UNICEF’s deputy representative for Myanmar, Julia Rees, emphasized the urgent and escalating needs on the ground, highlighting the critical situation unfolding in the wake of the disaster.
Rescue operations have been hindered by logistical challenges, with a scarcity of heavy equipment impeding progress in many areas. In Naypyitaw, workers resorted to manually removing debris from a collapsed structure, underscoring the arduous nature of the rescue and recovery process.
International aid groups and rescue teams from various countries have joined forces to assist in the search and rescue missions. The valiant efforts have yielded heartening outcomes, such as the miraculous rescue of individuals, including a young child and a pregnant woman, trapped for days beneath the ruins.
As the world rallies to support Myanmar in its hour of need, the collective determination to save lives and alleviate suffering remains unwavering.
Russia, China, India, the United Arab Emirates, and several Southeast Asian nations are among the countries affected. A small team from the U.S. Agency for International Development arrived on Tuesday to assess the disaster situation and determine the best course of action given limited U.S. resources due to budget cuts and restructuring of the agency. The team of three had to wait for visas before traveling from Thailand following a decision to provide $2 million in emergency aid to Myanmar. Aid commitments are pouring in as officials warn of the risk of disease outbreaks. The U.N. reports that over 3 million people were already displaced by Myanmar’s civil war before the earthquake, with nearly 20 million in need of assistance. The destruction of infrastructure and overcrowded shelters raise concerns about disease spread. The onset of the monsoon season adds to the challenges. The conflict in Myanmar complicates relief efforts, with ongoing military operations hindering access to affected areas. The National Unity Government and other groups have called for direct delivery of aid to victims, cautioning against any obstruction by the military junta. Ceasefire announcements have been made by some armed groups, but the military leadership appears reluctant to implement a cessation of hostilities.
The statement was seen as a hostile act. It was unclear if the military had been obstructing humanitarian assistance. Following Cyclone Nargis in 2008, where over 100,000 people lost their lives, foreign rescue teams and emergency supplies were initially denied entry. Even when aid was permitted, it came with significant limitations. However, in this instance, Min Aung Hlaing explicitly stated that external assistance would be accepted following the earthquake. Tom Andrews, overseeing human rights in Myanmar under the U.N.-supported Human Rights Council, emphasized the need to halt military attacks to enable aid efforts. “Priority in Myanmar should be on preserving lives, not ending them,” he stressed. ___This article includes contributions from Associated Press journalists Grant Peck and Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok, Matthew Lee in Washington, and Jamey Keaten in Geneva.
