Myanmar Earthquake Live Updates: India's first relief package lands at Myanmar under 'Operation Brahma'

A pregnant woman whose leg was amputated to free her after more than two days trapped in a collapsed Mandalay apartment block was pronounced dead shortly afterwards, AFP journalists at the scene saw.

Rescuers thought they had saved the life of Mathu Thu Lwin but were unable to resuscitate her after extracting her from the wreckage of the Sky Villa Condominium apartment complex, demolished by a huge earthquake which hit Myanmar on Friday.

She was eventually brought out soon after 8:00 pm (0130 GMT) and doctors examined her, performing CPR on a gurney, but she was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

"We tried everything to save her," said one of the medical team, but she had lost too much blood from having a leg amputated to free her.

(Report: AFP)

Newly released satellite images have exposed the full extent of devastation in Myanmar following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Friday. The images, captured by Planet Labs and Maxar Technologies, show widespread destruction across central Myanmar, where entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble.

Two days after a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, powerful aftershocks continue to rattle Mandalay, hindering rescue efforts. A 6.7-magnitude aftershock hit minutes after the initial quake, followed by multiple smaller tremors, including a 5.1-magnitude shock on Sunday afternoon that temporarily halted search operations.

Rescuers are still pulling survivors from collapsed buildings, but the death toll has climbed to at least 1,700 in Myanmar and 18 in Thailand. Myanmar's junta has issued a rare appeal for international aid, as a severe shortage of medical supplies is hampering relief efforts. The ongoing tremors add to the challenges faced by rescue teams working through the rubble.

Death's smell clung heavy in the burning sun as grasping hands dug through piles of wreckage, hoping against hope for some sign of life beneath the rubble of Myanmar's second-largest city. Two days since a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake had torn the nation asunder, the streets of Mandalay were a cemetery—bodies lying rotting in the blinding sun, survivors crying out for dead loved ones, and a nation on the verge of collapse. The powerful earthquake devastated the region and killed over 1,600 people and buried many more.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand, with Myanmar suffering the greatest devastation. The death toll has risen to 1,644, with over 3,400 injured and 139 missing. While international aid is arriving, Myanmar is facing a severe shortage of medical supplies, including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, and essential medicines, hampering rescue efforts.

China, India, Russia, and several other nations have sent medical teams, emergency hospitals, and financial aid, while the UN and humanitarian organizations, including the Red Cross, have allocated emergency funds. Despite these efforts, overwhelmed hospitals are struggling to treat the injured, and urgent medical supplies are desperately needed to save lives.

A devastating earthquake has killed over 1,600 people in Myanmar and Thailand, prompting a global relief effort. China, India, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the WHO have deployed rescue teams and aid supplies. The UN and Red Cross are mobilizing emergency response, with the Red Cross launching a $100 million appeal. Financial assistance has been pledged by the US, EU, Britain, Ireland, South Korea, and New Zealand. The relief efforts focus on medical aid, search and rescue, and humanitarian support.

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' International Federation initiated a critical funding request on Sunday, seeking over $100 million in aid for Myanmar earthquake survivors.

The IFRC, leading global humanitarian assistance, reported widespread devastation from Friday's 7.7-magnitude earthquake near Mandalay's central region, with urgent requirements increasing rapidly.

"To scale up support, the IFRC launches an emergency appeal for 100 million Swiss francs ($115 million) to assist 100,000 people (20,000 households) with life-saving relief and early recovery support over the next 24 months," it said in a statement.

Emergency assistance has flowed into Southeast Asia following a devastating earthquake that affected Myanmar and Thailand. The primary focus of relief operations is on Myanmar.

The casualties from Friday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake are anticipated to rise further, with 3,408 people reported injured and 139 individuals missing on Sunday.

The neighbouring country of Thailand reported 17 deaths.

Despite the arrival of essential supplies including food and medicine in Myanmar, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a report on Saturday highlighting significant challenges in rescue operations due to critical shortages of medical resources, including trauma kits, blood bags, anaesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines and accommodation facilities for healthcare workers.

India has sent relief materials, rescue teams and medical equipment in five military aircraft to Myanmar to help victims of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed over 1,600 people and injured nearly 3,000. India mounted its relief mission -- named 'Operation Brahma' as a swift response to the devastation caused by the earthquake that hit Myanmar as well as Thailand on Friday.

New Delhi dispatched relief materials, medicines, an 80-member search and rescue team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and military field hospitals to Myanmar in three C-130J and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft.

A specialised rescue team from Indian Army's 50 (I) Para Brigade has also been swiftly deployed to Myanmar, officials said.

The team, comprising 118 personnel, including medical and communication units, landed at Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw on Saturday night.

The team will primarily focus on rescue operations in Mandalay, the officials said.

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Myanmar's second-largest city on Sunday, the USGS reported, following a series of aftershocks after Friday's catastrophic earthquake. Residents of Mandalay screamed as the aftershock occurred.

The initial 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday struck near the city, causing numerous buildings to collapse and infrastructure damage. The death toll has exceeded 1,600 people, with more than 3,400 individuals unaccounted for, and these figures are likely to increase.

On Sunday, emergency response teams began arriving in Myanmar's most severely affected regions following the powerful earthquake that claimed over 1,600 lives. Their rescue operations face significant obstacles including damaged roads, collapsed bridges, unreliable communications, and the complexities of working in a nation experiencing civil conflict.

The primary earthquake, measuring 7.7 in magnitude, occurred at midday Friday near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. The impact resulted in widespread building collapses and damage to vital infrastructure, including the city's airport.

The deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake which struck Myanmar on Friday had as much energy as more than 300 atomic bombs combined, according to a leading American geologist. “The force that a quake like this releases is about 334 atomic bombs,” geologist Jess Phoenix told CNN.

She also cautioned that aftershocks from the earthquake, the death toll from which has surpassed 1,600, "could persist for months." This is because the Indian tectonic plate continues to collide with the Eurasian plate beneath Myanmar, the geologist noted. Phoenix further said there could be hindrances in grasping the full extent of the catastrophe.

"Myanmar's ongoing civil war, combined with a communication blackout, is obstructing the outside world from grasping the full impact of the earthquake," she stated.

Residents frantically searched through ruined buildings for survivors whilst aftershocks continued to shake the devastated city of Mandalay, following a catastrophic earthquake that claimed over 1,600 lives in Myanmar and 17 in Thailand two days prior.

The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, with a 6.7-magnitude aftershock following shortly afterwards.

The seismic activity caused widespread destruction in the city of 1.7 million inhabitants, resulting in collapsed buildings, damaged bridges and distorted roadways.

Early Sunday morning, Win Lwin, who owns a tea shop, carefully navigated through the debris of a fallen restaurant on his neighbourhood's main street, removing bricks one at a time.

"About seven people died here" when the quake struck Friday, he told AFP. "I'm looking for more bodies but I know there cannot be any survivors," he said.

"We don't know how many bodies there could be but we are looking," he added.

The death toll in Bangkok from a massive earthquake that hit Myanmar and Thailand rose to 17 on Sunday, city authorities said.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Authority said 32 people were injured and 83 still unaccounted for -- most from the site of a 30-storey tower block under construction that collapsed when the magnitude 7.7 quake struck Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed that an Israeli professional rescue and aid team be sent to Thailand to help with the aftermath of the earthquake there.

The team will depart Israel tonight at 10:30 PM and will include 21 professionals. It will assist in population-based and engineering rescue, and will operate until the last trapped person is rescued.

Following a devastating earthquake that claimed over 1,600 lives in Myanmar and Thailand, various nations and organisations have initiated relief operations.

India has commenced aid delivery with a C-130 military transport aircraft carrying essential supplies, including hygiene kits and food parcels. Additional support includes four more aircraft and two navy vessels with personnel and a field hospital.

China's contribution involves an 82-member rescue team and a separate team from Yunnan province arriving in Yangon. Beijing has pledged 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) in emergency assistance, with deliveries scheduled to begin Monday.

The WHO is coordinating its response from Geneva, preparing trauma supplies through its Dubai logistics hub. Their spokesperson Margaret Harris emphasised the significant scale of the disaster and its health implications.

The UN's OCHA has begun emergency response coordination, highlighting critical shortages in medical supplies, including trauma kits, blood bags and essential medicines.

US President Donald Trump has committed to providing assistance, acknowledging the severity of the situation during his Oval Office statement.

Malaysia's contribution includes deploying 50 rescue personnel. Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan confirmed ASEAN's readiness to support both affected member nations, Myanmar and Thailand.

The WHO considers this a significant event requiring comprehensive emergency management response, whilst OCHA continues coordinating with partner organisations to address the pressing humanitarian needs.

The scale of destruction has left many survivors struggling to comprehend what happened. “It’s like a ruined city,” said a resident from Mandalay. "So many people are still trapped. I’ve never seen anything shake like that before." In Bangkok’s Chinatown, a tourist described how panic spread through a busy shopping area when the ground suddenly started to move. "People started screaming and pushing to get out through the narrow exits," he recalled. "We were all running for our lives."

Authorities have confirmed at least five deaths at the Bangkok skyscraper collapse site alone, but the overall death toll from the earthquake has soared past 1,600. With many more believed to be buried under the rubble, families have gathered at disaster sites, anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones. "We are hoping for a miracle," one distraught relative said. Rescuers are working tirelessly, but collapsed buildings, unstable debris, and aftershocks continue to hamper their efforts.

The UK has announced £10 million ($12.9 million) in humanitarian aid for Myanmar following a powerful earthquake that has killed more than 1,600 people. The funding will support emergency food, water, medicine, and shelter in the hardest-hit areas, the UK Foreign Office said on Saturday.

"UK-funded local partners are already mobilising a humanitarian response on the ground," said Development Minister Jennifer Chapman, who also expressed her condolences to the people of Myanmar.

Myanmar’s ruling junta, which rarely seeks international assistance, made an appeal for aid after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central parts of the country. Despite strained relations, the UK has stepped in to provide relief, even as it maintains sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the military regime.

Anti-coup fighters in Myanmar have declared a two-week ceasefire in parts of the country to allow rescue and relief efforts after a devastating earthquake. The People's Defence Force (PDF), an armed group opposing the military junta, said it would pause offensive operations in affected areas from March 30, 2025, while continuing defensive actions.

The announcement came from the shadow "National Unity Government" (NUG), which pledged to work with the UN and NGOs to ensure the safety of relief operations. The NUG, formed by lawmakers ousted in the 2021 coup, also plans to help set up temporary medical and rescue camps in regions under its control.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, with the epicentre near Sagaing. The military junta has reported at least 1,644 deaths in Myanmar, while about 10 people were killed in neighbouring Thailand.

In Bangkok, a construction worker described his miraculous escape as a high-rise building under construction collapsed in seconds. "I had just stepped outside to get some water when I saw a massive cloud of dust," Khin Aung recounted. "I video-called my brother who was still inside, but the call suddenly dropped. Seconds later, the entire building was gone." The Chatuchak district was among the hardest hit, with up to 100 workers feared to be trapped beneath the debris. The collapse has left authorities scrambling to assess the full scale of the disaster.

India has stepped up its relief efforts in Myanmar following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with two C-17 aircraft carrying 60 tonnes of relief material and a 118-member Indian Army Field Hospital Unit landing in the country.

The Indian Army's medical team includes specialists in Women and Child Care services and is part of Operation Brahma, India's humanitarian mission to support Myanmar in the wake of the disaster. The Indian Army will also set up a 60-bed Medical Treatment Centre to provide emergency care, trauma treatment, and essential medical services to those affected.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, highlighted India's commitment to being a first responder in regional crises. "With these, five relief flights have landed in Myanmar today," Jaiswal stated in a post on X.

In Myanmar’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw, rescue teams are engaged in desperate efforts to reach those still buried under rubble. A rescue worker recalled the heart-wrenching moment when they heard a voice calling for help but couldn't reach the trapped victim. "We can only find people where we hear them," he said. The situation at a goldsmith’s shop was especially dire, with officials reporting that 17 people remained trapped. Despite continuous efforts, unstable debris and blocked pathways have slowed down rescue operations.

As Myanmar and Thailand grapple with the devastation of a massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake, survivors have shared their harrowing experiences of escaping death. "It lasted around three to four minutes, but it felt like an eternity," a resident from Mandalay said. "The city shook violently, people were screaming, and buildings crumbled in seconds." Many who survived were those fortunate enough to be outdoors when the tremors struck, while others barely managed to flee collapsing structures.

Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis is escalating, with food shortages worsening after the earthquake. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that it may have to stop most food rations by April due to a lack of funding. Around 15.2 million people are struggling to meet their basic food needs, with 2.3 million facing emergency hunger levels.

Meanwhile, the US recently froze foreign aid for 90 days, affecting refugee assistance and hospital care for displaced Myanmar citizens. Many NGOs and hospitals along the Myanmar-Thailand border have already shut down due to funding cuts. With aid programs vanishing and hunger rising, the crisis in Myanmar is growing more severe, leaving millions without essential support.

Even after the earthquake’s destruction, Myanmar’s military has continued airstrikes in conflict zones. Attacks were reported in Sagaing, Kayin, and Bago regions, with pro-democracy groups confirming bombings near the quake’s epicentre. Humanitarian groups, including the Free Burma Rangers, have reported multiple airstrikes in Shan and Kareni states since the disaster.

The military, led by General Min Aung Hlaing, has faced growing resistance from pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias since the 2021 coup. Despite losing control over several regions, it continues aggressive military campaigns. The latest airstrikes have worsened the suffering of civilians already struggling with displacement and food shortages. The disaster has not slowed the military’s offensives, leaving people trapped between conflict and catastrophe.

A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar and Thailand, leaving over 1,600 people dead and more than 3,400 injured in Myanmar. The disaster has worsened an already dire situation, as the country battles a prolonged civil war, food shortages, and economic instability. Buildings, bridges, and dams have collapsed, with communication networks severely disrupted.

Many survivors lack access to essential supplies, making relief efforts even harder. The situation is particularly alarming in Myanmar, where over 3 million people had already been displaced due to conflict. International aid remains limited, and with mobile networks down, the full extent of the destruction is still unclear. The disaster has deepened Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis, leaving millions in desperate need of help.

Intensifying its relief and rescue efforts in earthquake-hit Myanmar under 'Operation Brahma', India on Saturday dispatched two naval ships to the neighbouring country while deploying a 118-member army field hospital to provide immediate medical assistance to the injured. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a briefing that two more Indian naval ships would follow under this humanitarian assistance operation. A senior Indian Navy officer stated that the first ship carrying 10 tonnes of relief material left in the early hours, while the second departed on Saturday afternoon, with both expected to reach off Yangon on March 31.

India's Operation Brahma continues with two C-17 aircraft carrying a 118-member Indian Army Field Hospital Unit, including Women & Child Care services, and 60 tonnes of relief material landing in Myanmar, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal tweeted. He added that a total of five relief flights from India have landed in Myanmar today.