play_arrow

keyboard_arrow_right

Listeners:

Top listeners:

skip_previous skip_next
00:00 00:00
playlist_play chevron_left
volume_up
  • cover play_arrow

Earthquake Death Toll Approaching 2,000; Desperate Search For Loved Ones

Background

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

MANDALAY/BANGKOK (Worthy News) – Desperate people continued searching for loved ones in Myanmar Saturday as the death toll of Friday’s 7.7 devastating earthquake reportedly rose to at least 1,644, with thousands more listed as injured.

Their efforts came amid air strikes by forces of Myanmar’s junta military, outraging the United Nations.

Teams with little protective equipment, at times using only their bare hands in the impoverished Southeast Asian nation, scrambled to free survivors from the rubble of countless buildings that were shattered by Friday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake, according to footage reviewed by Worthy News.

There was a brief moment of joy for exhausted emergency workers as a 30-year-old woman was rescued alive after more than 30 hours trapped beneath an apartment building in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-biggest city and one of the worst affected areas, witnesses said.

Phyu Lay Khaing, who was brought out of the Sky Villa Condominium, a 12-storey development, by stretcher, was embraced by her husband, Ye Aung, and taken to hospital. It is feared more than 90 people remain trapped there.

In neighboring Thailand, Bangkok’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said the search for construction workers at the site of a collapsed 30-story building in the capital would continue. “We believe that there are still survivors. We will do everything possible to rescue them,” he said late Saturday.

Drones and sniffer dogs have been deployed to identify signs of life. At least 10 people have died in Bangkok. Dozens more are missing.

US RELIEF

The United States pledged to send relief after initial concerns that President Donald J. Trump’s suspension of USAID agency operations could impact rescue efforts.

Other countries providing aid include Indonesia, India, and France.

However, the United Nations warned of difficulties ahead in Myanmar, also known as Burma, amid ongoing civil strife that has also impacted the Christian minority.

The U.N. noticed a severe lack of medical supplies was hampering response efforts in the nation ruled by.

“As the full scale of the disaster unfolds, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed to support those affected,” the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stressed

This included a shortage of “trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistive devices, essential medicines, and tents for health workers.”

The agency said that damaged roads and debris blocked humanitarian access and complicated needs assessments.

AIR STRIKES

Disruptions to the telecommunications network and internet were also hindering humanitarian operations.

However, the U.N. said the rescue efforts were also hampered by Myanmar’s military junta, which was carrying out the major earthquake there.

The U.N. described the attacks as “completely outrageous and unacceptable.” In recent years, thousands of people, many of them Christian minorities, have been displaced due to military attacks, Worthy News documented.

Many have tried to enter neighboring Thailand.

Special U.N. Rapporteur Tom Andrews said it was “nothing short of incredible” that the military was continuing to “drop bombs when you are trying to rescue people” after the earthquake.

He called on “the military regime,”which seized power in a coup nearly four years ago, to stop all military operations.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

Trump Signals ‘Wind-Down Of Iran War’ As Markets Tumble (Worthy News In-Depth)
Trump Signals ‘Wind-Down Of Iran War’ As Markets Tumble (Worthy News In-Depth)
Saturday, March 21, 2026

In a setback to those hoping for regime change in the Islamic Republic, U.S. President Donald J. Trump signaled Friday that he may begin “winding down” military operations against Iran, saying Washington is close to achieving its objectives.

US Vice President Vance To Visit Hungary Ahead Of Crucial Election; CPAC Gathers Global Conservative Figures
US Vice President Vance To Visit Hungary Ahead Of Crucial Election; CPAC Gathers Global Conservative Figures
Saturday, March 21, 2026

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Hungary in a last-minute show of support for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who faces his toughest election since returning to power in 2010, officials familiar with the planning confirmed.

Anti-Immigration, Local Parties Surge In Dutch Municipal Elections
Anti-Immigration, Local Parties Surge In Dutch Municipal Elections
Friday, March 20, 2026

Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.

Israel To Spare Energy Sites After Gas Strikes Trigger Market Shock; Iran Warns Of ‘Zero Restraint’
Israel To Spare Energy Sites After Gas Strikes Trigger Market Shock; Iran Warns Of ‘Zero Restraint’
Friday, March 20, 2026

Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.

EU Leaders Rebuke Hungary’s Orbán Over Blocked 90 Billion Euro Ukraine Loan
EU Leaders Rebuke Hungary’s Orbán Over Blocked 90 Billion Euro Ukraine Loan
Friday, March 20, 2026

European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.

Concerns Grow For Christians In Iranian Prisons Amid Strikes
Concerns Grow For Christians In Iranian Prisons Amid Strikes
Friday, March 20, 2026

Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.

Republicans Defend, Democrats Vilify GOP Voter ID Bill
Republicans Defend, Democrats Vilify GOP Voter ID Bill
Thursday, March 19, 2026

As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.

WHO WE ARE

The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.

CONTACT