Rescue Efforts Intensify After Devastating Earthquake in Mandalay
In the heart of Mandalay, close to the epicenter of a recent quake that devastated the region, dedicated volunteer rescue workers are racing against time. They tirelessly sift through the debris of collapsed apartments, monasteries, and mosques, desperately searching for survivors amidst the ruins. Many others are grappling with the profound loss experienced in the wake of this disaster.
The challenges faced by rescue teams are compounded by downed power lines, obliterated roads, and a severe lack of essential equipment. This situation is further exacerbated in a city that is already grappling with the weight of a repressive military regime and a civil war that has persisted for nearly four years. As one volunteer, Thaw Zin, poignantly expressed while seated in front of a demolished condominium: “There are at least a hundred people still trapped inside. We are doing our utmost with the limited resources available to us.”
The earthquake, which struck at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time on Friday, has been recorded as only the third of its magnitude to hit the region in the last century. The full extent of the disaster is staggering, prompting the Myanmar military junta to declare a state of emergency across six regions. This includes areas controlled by rebel forces, where internet access is scarce, and millions of individuals are currently displaced.
Among the structures affected was Mandalay’s renowned Maha Myat Muni Pagoda, also known as the Mahamuni Buddha Temple, which suffered significant damage and collapse. Credit…EPA, via Shutterstock
Survivor Su Wai Lin recounts her harrowing experience: she and her husband, along with her mother-in-law, managed to escape as the earthquake struck. However, her husband selflessly ran back into their apartment building to rescue their elderly neighbor, who is 90 years old.
