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Al Jazeera
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Hundreds of Muslims feared dead in Myanmar earthquake, mosques destroyed
Hundreds of Muslim worshippers are feared to be among the more than 1,600 people who died in a powerful earthquake which struck central Myanmar when they had gathered at mosques for prayers during Ramadan. According to the shadow National Unity Government, more than 50 mosques across the country also sustained damage when the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck on Friday. Htet Min Oo was performing ritual ablutions before Ramadan prayers at a mosque next to his house in Mandalay. His home collapsed along with part of the mosque, trapping half his body with the rubble of a wall that buried two of his aunts. Residents raced to pull them out, he said, but only one survived. The 25-year-old told the Reuters news agency, that his two uncles and his grandmother were also trapped under piles of concrete. With no heavy equipment available, he tried desperately to clear the rubble with his hands but could not shift it. 'I don't know if they are still alive under the debris. After so long, I don't think there's any hope,' he said on Friday. 'There's too much rubble and no rescue teams have come for us,' he added, his voice shaking as he broke into tears. A 39-year-old resident of the Mandalay region described harrowing scenes as he tried to save a man trapped under the debris of a collapsed mosque in Sule Kone village but had to flee because of strong aftershocks. 'I had to leave him behind … I went in a second time to try to save him,' he told Reuters, declining to be identified. 'I retrieved four people with my own hands. But unfortunately, three were already dead, and one died in my arms.' The resident said 10 people had been killed there, and they were among 23 who died at three mosques that were destroyed in the village. Government restrictions had prevented them from being upgraded, he said. Muslims are a minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar and have been repressed and marginalised by successive governments, while ultranationalist groups have in recent years incited violence. The Rohingya, a large Muslim minority, have been among the most persecuted groups by the Myanmar authorities, suffering mass deaths and expulsion. Myanmar authorities have for decades also made it difficult for Muslims to obtain permission to repair or build mosques, according to a 2017 report by the US Department of State, which said historic mosques have deteriorated because routine maintenance was denied. One man, Julian Kyle, appealed on social media for heavy equipment to lift concrete pillars after the quake destroyed another Mandalay mosque. 'Underneath the rubble, my family members and others were crushed and lost their lives,' he posted. 'We desperately want to recover their bodies.' A resident from the town of Taungnoo, about 370km (230 miles) away, said he was praying when one side of the Kandaw mosque caved in on two rows of men seated before him. 'I saw so many people carried out from the mosque, some of them died right before my eyes,' he said. 'It was truly heartbreaking.' Citing a local newspaper, Al Jazeera's Sanad agency said that the collapse of mosques on Friday also increased fears of more buildings falling, especially older ones that are more than 150 years old and have not received the necessary permits for renewal, according to government regulations. Buddhist buildings were also badly hit by the earthquake, with 670 monasteries and 290 pagodas damaged, according to the military government. It did not mention any mosques in its damage report. So far, the quake has also destroyed other buildings, bridges and roads across swaths of Myanmar. But many believe the true scale of the disaster has yet to emerge due to patchy communications in remote areas. Harry Roberts, a Bangkok-based volunteer, said the situation in Myanmar was likely to be 'very complex' and 'really serious' considering the government's rare appeal for international help. 'That request must trickle down to immigration and customs, so nongovernmental organisations like ourselves can get the immediate aid in there,' Roberts said. 'At this stage, it's largely about gathering information and assessing the accessibility into the country.'
USA Today
29-03-2025
- General
- USA Today
Death toll from catastrophic earthquake surges to over 1,000 in Myanmar
Death toll from catastrophic earthquake surges to over 1,000 in Myanmar The 7.7 earthquake hit in Myanmar at about lunchtime on Friday, toppling buildings and bridges and shutting down airports. Show Caption Hide Caption Deadly earthquake rocks Myanmar, Thailand A 7.7 earthquake shook Southeast Asia, killing over 140. The epicenter was near Mandalay, Myanmar. The death toll from a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Southeast Asia on Friday drastically climbed on Saturday with reports of 1,600 dead in Myanmar and predictive modeling showing the true toll could reach 10,000. The quake struck around lunchtime on Friday, destroying buildings and bridges. Hundreds of search-and-rescue personnel from other countries entered Myanmar on Saturday to continue the grueling search for survivors and victims. Htet Min Oo, 25, told Reuters he was dragged out from under a collapsed wall in Mandalay by other residents and tried to search the rubble for his grandmother and uncles, but eventually gave up. "I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he said in tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope." About 600 miles from the quake's epicenter, a high-rise building collapse trapped construction workers in Bangkok, Thailand. Crews were using excavators, drones and dogs to search the debris on Saturday. At least 47 people are missing in the rubble, including workers from Myanmar. "We always have hope," Thailand's Deputy Prime Minster Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters. "We're still working around the clock." Death toll soars as search continues Myanmar's military government said Saturday there were 1,644 people confirmed dead so far in the country following the earthquake, according to Agence France-Presse. In Thailand, at least nine people were killed. According to predictive modeling by the U.S. Geological Survey, the death toll could reach at least 10,000 people. Much of the population lives in structures that are vulnerable to shaking from quakes, USGS said. Its predictions also show the damage caused by the quake could exceed the annual economic output. "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," according to the USGS. The death toll is up from an early count on Friday of about 150 as Myanmar's military government leaders warned it would rise. Aid, rescue teams pour into Myanmar Hundreds entered Myanmar on Saturday to help with search and rescue, while humanitarian groups said destroyed roads were hindering their ability to deliver aid to parts of the country. "Damage to the Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw-Mandalay expressway led to service disruptions, with cracks and surface distortions forcing highway buses to halt operations," United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a statement Saturday. Countries including Russia, Malaysia, India, China and Singapore all pledged aid and personnel to Myanmar in the wake of the earthquake. Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country would provide $13.77 million worth of aid, including tents, blankets and emergency medical kits. President Donald Trump also said Friday the U.S. would help Myanmar's recovery despite testy relations between the countries, including recent cuts to foreign aid from the U.S. and sanctions on Myanmar's officials. "We're going to be helping," Trump said Friday. "We've already spoken with the country." Contributing: Christopher Cann and Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY; Reuters (This story has been updated to add new information.)
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Death toll from catastrophic earthquake surges to over 1,000 in Myanmar
The death toll from a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Southeast Asia on Friday drastically climbed on Saturday with reports of 1,600 dead in Myanmar and predictive modeling showing the true toll could reach 10,000. The quake struck around lunchtime on Friday, destroying buildings and bridges. Hundreds of search-and-rescue personnel from other countries entered Myanmar on Saturday to continue the grueling search for survivors and victims. Htet Min Oo, 25, told Reuters he was dragged out from under a collapsed wall in Mandalay by other residents and tried to search the rubble for his grandmother and uncles, but eventually gave up. "I don't know if they are still alive under the debris," he said in tears. "After so long, I don't think there's any hope." About 600 miles from the quake's epicenter, a high-rise building collapse trapped construction workers in Bangkok, Thailand. Crews were using excavators, drones and dogs to search the debris on Saturday. At least 47 people are missing in the rubble, including workers from Myanmar. "We always have hope," Thailand's Deputy Prime Minster Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters. "We're still working around the clock." Myanmar's military government said Saturday there were 1,644 people confirmed dead so far in the country following the earthquake, according to Agence France-Presse. In Thailand, at least nine people were killed. According to predictive modeling by the U.S. Geological Survey, the death toll could reach at least 10,000 people. Much of the population lives in structures that are vulnerable to shaking from quakes, USGS said. Its predictions also show the damage caused by the quake could exceed the annual economic output. "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," according to the USGS. The death toll is up from an early count on Friday of about 150 as Myanmar's military government leaders warned it would rise. Contributing: Christopher Cann and Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Earthquake death toll now over 1,000 in Myanmar: Updates
Al Arabiya
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Myanmar quake struck mosques as Muslims gathered for Ramadan prayers
When Friday's powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar, Htet Min Oo was performing ritual ablutions before Ramadan prayers at a mosque next to his house in Mandalay. His home collapsed along with part of the mosque, trapping half his body with the rubble of a wall that buried two of his aunts. Residents raced to pull the aunts out, he said, but only one survived. Htet Min Oo, 25, said two uncles and his grandmother were also trapped under piles of concrete. With no heavy equipment available, he tried desperately to clear the rubble with his hands but could not shift it. 'I don't know if they are still alive under the debris. After so long, I don't think there's any hope,' he said on Friday. 'There's too much rubble and no rescue teams have come for us,' he added, his voice shaking as he broke into tears. Hundreds of Muslims are feared among the dead in Myanmar after the shallow quake struck as worshippers gathered at mosques for Friday prayers in the holy month. More than 50 mosques sustained damage, according to the shadow National Unity Government. 'I had to leave him behind' A 39-year-old resident of the Mandalay region described harrowing scenes as he tried to save a man trapped under the debris of a collapsed mosque in Sule Kone village, but had to flee because of strong aftershocks. 'I had to leave him behind ... I went in a second time to try to save him,' he said, declining to be identified. 'I retrieved four people with my own hands. But unfortunately, three were already dead and one died in my arms.' He said 10 people had been killed there, and that they were among 23 who died at three mosques that were destroyed in the village. Government restrictions had prevented them being upgraded, he said. Muslims are a minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar and have been marginalized by successive governments, while ultranationalist groups and extremist monks have in recent years incited violence. Myanmar authorities have for decades made it difficult for Muslims to obtain permission to repair or build new mosques, according to 2017 report by the US State Department, which said historic mosques have deteriorated because routine maintenance was denied. Buddhist buildings were also badly hit by the quake, with 670 monasteries and 290 pagodas damaged, according to the military government. It did not mention any mosques in its damage report. Reuters could not reach the mosques or verify the accounts of the collapses. One man, Julian Kyle, appealed on social media for heavy equipment to lift concrete pillars after the quake destroyed another Mandalay mosque. 'Underneath the rubble, my family members and others were crushed and lost their lives,' he posted. 'We desperately want to recover their bodies.' A resident from the town of Taungnoo about 370 km (230 miles) away said he was praying when one side of the Kandaw mosque caved in on two rows of men seated before him. 'I saw so many people carried out from the mosque, some of them died right before my eyes,' he said. 'It was truly heartbreaking.'
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Myanmar quake struck mosques as minority Muslims gathered for Ramadan prayers
By Shoon Naing and Wa Lone (Reuters) - When Friday's powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar, Htet Min Oo was performing ritual ablutions before Ramadan prayers at a mosque next to his house in Mandalay. His home collapsed along with part of the mosque, trapping half his body with the rubble of a wall that buried two of his aunts. Residents raced to pull the aunts out, he said, but only one survived. Htet Min Oo, 25, said two uncles and his grandmother were also trapped under piles of concrete. With no heavy equipment available, he tried desperately to clear the rubble with his hands but could not shift it. "I don't know if they are still alive under the debris. After so long, I don't think there's any hope," he said on Friday. "There's too much rubble and no rescue teams have come for us," he added, his voice shaking as he broke into tears. Hundreds of Muslims are feared among the dead in Myanmar after the shallow quake struck as worshippers gathered at mosques for Friday prayers in the holy month. More than 50 mosques sustained damage, according to the shadow National Unity Government. 'I HAD TO LEAVE HIM BEHIND' A 39-year-old resident of the Mandalay region described harrowing scenes as he tried to save a man trapped under the debris of a collapsed mosque in Sule Kone village, but had to flee because of strong aftershocks. "I had to leave him behind ... I went in a second time to try to save him," he said, declining to be identified. "I retrieved four people with my own hands. But unfortunately, three were already dead and one died in my arms." He said 10 people had been killed there, and that they were among 23 who died at three mosques that were destroyed in the village. Government restrictions had prevented them being upgraded, he said. Muslims are a minority in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar and have been marginalised by successive governments, while ultranationalist groups and extremist monks have in recent years incited violence. Myanmar authorities have for decades made it difficult for Muslims to obtain permission to repair or build new mosques, according to 2017 report by the U.S. State Department, which said historic mosques have deteriorated because routine maintenance was denied. Buddhist buildings were also badly hit by the quake, with 670 monasteries and 290 pagodas damaged, according to the military government. It did not mention any mosques in its damage report. Reuters could not reach the mosques or verify the accounts of the collapses. One man, Julian Kyle, appealed on social media for heavy equipment to lift concrete pillars after the quake destroyed another Mandalay mosque. "Underneath the rubble, my family members and others were crushed and lost their lives," he posted. "We desperately want to recover their bodies." A resident from the town of Taungnoo about 370 km (230 miles) away said he was praying when one side of the Kandaw mosque caved in on two rows of men seated before him. "I saw so many people carried out from the mosque, some of them died right before my eyes," he said. "It was truly heartbreaking."
