NAY PYI TAW — Myanmar’s military leader requested international aid on Friday to help deal with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that killed at least 144 people, a toll the country expects to rise as rescue efforts continue.
The quake and an aftershock, which struck near the centre of the country, also affected neighbouring China, Vietnam and Thailand, where authorities said at least 10 people were killed and more than 100 missing after a building under construction collapsed.
The death toll and the number of injuries in Myanmar are likely to rise, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said in a video speech on state broadcaster MRTV.
"In some areas, buildings collapsed so rescue efforts are still under way," he said. "As we carry out extensive rescue and relief efforts, I would like to request help."
Rescue and rebuilding efforts in Myanmar, which has been under the control of a military junta since 2021, may be complicated by its long-running civil war.
President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, said the US has been in touch with authorities in Myanmar and will be helping, calling the incident "terrible." A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said the country is ready to provide humanitarian assistance.
Myanmar has already accepted offers from India and the AHA Centre, a regional agency for disaster management and humanitarian assistance. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was ready to provide support, while the United Nations has pledged US$5 million of initial emergency support.
The quake on Friday measured 7.7 in magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, which said it was 16 kilometres (9.9 miles) northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar. There was a second quake of 6.4 magnitude around the same area, the USGS said.
More than 700 people have been injured in Myanmar, according to an early assessment by authorities. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, lead spokesman of the ruling State Administration Council, said state-run hospitals in Naypyidaw, Mandalay & Sagaing are all packed with patients.
Bridges and several buildings collapsed in different areas of the country, according to a report in the state-owned news outlet The Global New Light of Myanmar. A state of emergency was declared in six provinces including the capital Naypyidaw and Mandalay, the nation’s second-biggest city, the State Administration Council said.
"It is highly likely that build quality will generally not be high enough to survive this level of shaking, and casualty numbers will almost certainly climb significantly as more becomes known of the scale of the disaster," said Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at the University College London. He added that the quake struck along the Sagaing Fault, which runs north-south close to large population centres.
The quake and an aftershock, which struck near the centre of the country, also affected neighbouring China, Vietnam and Thailand, where authorities said at least 10 people were killed and more than 100 missing after a building under construction collapsed.
The death toll and the number of injuries in Myanmar are likely to rise, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said in a video speech on state broadcaster MRTV.
"In some areas, buildings collapsed so rescue efforts are still under way," he said. "As we carry out extensive rescue and relief efforts, I would like to request help."
Rescue and rebuilding efforts in Myanmar, which has been under the control of a military junta since 2021, may be complicated by its long-running civil war.
President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, said the US has been in touch with authorities in Myanmar and will be helping, calling the incident "terrible." A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said the country is ready to provide humanitarian assistance.
Myanmar has already accepted offers from India and the AHA Centre, a regional agency for disaster management and humanitarian assistance. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe was ready to provide support, while the United Nations has pledged US$5 million of initial emergency support.
The quake on Friday measured 7.7 in magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, which said it was 16 kilometres (9.9 miles) northwest of Sagaing, Myanmar. There was a second quake of 6.4 magnitude around the same area, the USGS said.
More than 700 people have been injured in Myanmar, according to an early assessment by authorities. Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, lead spokesman of the ruling State Administration Council, said state-run hospitals in Naypyidaw, Mandalay & Sagaing are all packed with patients.
Bridges and several buildings collapsed in different areas of the country, according to a report in the state-owned news outlet The Global New Light of Myanmar. A state of emergency was declared in six provinces including the capital Naypyidaw and Mandalay, the nation’s second-biggest city, the State Administration Council said.
"It is highly likely that build quality will generally not be high enough to survive this level of shaking, and casualty numbers will almost certainly climb significantly as more becomes known of the scale of the disaster," said Bill McGuire, emeritus professor of geophysical and climate hazards at the University College London. He added that the quake struck along the Sagaing Fault, which runs north-south close to large population centres.
