Myanmar Earthquake Leaves ⁢Thousands Feared Dead, rescue Efforts Hampered

SAGAING, Myanmar ‌(AP) — A strong, acrid ​odor hangs over Sagaing in central Myanmar following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Friday, March 28, 2025. The quake’s devastation ‌has left thousands feared dead, with rescue operations struggling against collapsed infrastructure and limited resources.

The ⁤stench is believed to emanate ⁢from bodies trapped beneath the wreckage ⁣of buildings destroyed in the temblor.

“Now with every breeze, the smell of corpses fills the air,” said Thar Nge, a resident of Sagaing, the city closest to the ‌earthquake’s epicenter. He spoke to Al Jazeera on Monday, ⁣March 31, painting a grim picture of the disaster’s‌ aftermath.

“At this point, more corpses were found than survivors,” Nge ⁣added.

Infrastructure Collapse ‌Hinders Rescue ​Teams

The AVA bridge, a structure built nearly 90 years ago during British ⁣colonial rule, was among the infrastructure that crumbled in the earthquake. Its destruction has considerably hampered rescue efforts.

“The rescue team from⁢ Mandalay could not reach us ‌promptly as the bridge collapsed. ⁣That is why they just arrived today,” said ⁣Nge, highlighting the delays caused by the damaged infrastructure.

nge, who has ‌lost hope of finding his⁣ son alive, said ‍that many in the city have‌ lost loved ones.

According to Nge,nearly​ 90 ⁤bodies have been recovered,while only 36 people have been rescued from the ⁢ruins of homes,businesses,and Buddhist temples.

“Many people, as well as monks ​and nuns in Sagaing, have been trapped under buildings, including ⁢monasteries,” he said.

The focus is shifting from rescuing the living to recovering‍ and burying the dead.

Mandalay Grapples with Equipment‌ Shortages

In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city located approximately 14‌ miles (22 kilometers) east of Sagaing, rescue efforts are further complicated by ⁣a shortage of specialized equipment.

This has ‌forced ‍rescue workers and desperate family members to ⁢dig ‌through the ⁤rubble with thier bare hands.

Power outages plague both Mandalay and Sagaing, compounding the misery. the cities also endured temperatures as high as 102 degrees Fahrenheit (39 ​degrees Celsius) on Sunday, March ‍30.

Ko Lin Maw, a resident of Mandalay, is desperately waiting for help, trapped in his collapsed home. “My mother and my​ two sons are still trapped under the ruins,” he said.

Maw ⁤said rescue teams in Mandalay are prioritizing larger​ disaster sites ‌where more people are believed to be trapped.

“The‌ number of rescue officers is clearly not enough to save victims,” he lamented.

Maw expressed his frustration that 48 hours after the earthquake, sufficient emergency workers and aid ⁢had yet to reach the city.

Reliance on Social Media for Rescue Coordination

Myanmar firefighter ​Htet Wai arrived in Mandalay ⁤on Sunday​ morning from Yangon, the country’s commercial capital, ⁣located 390 miles (627 kilometers) to the south.

With cellular phone service spotty and internet‍ connections unreliable, Wai said his team ​is relying on information posted on Facebook to determine‌ where help is most needed.

“This morning,as‍ soon as‌ we arrived,we went to the location that we found online,” ​wai ⁢said.

Their initial ⁢rescue attempt ⁤yielded only the finding of bodies.

Despite⁢ the‍ grim circumstances,Wai said he ‌and his colleagues remain hopeful.

“With‌ this hot temperature, I ‌am worried we will find more bodies than the survivors. ‌However, we​ will do our best to save as many lives as possible,”⁣ he said.

Wai emphasized‌ the urgent need for more skilled rescue personnel, heavy equipment to clear debris, and body bags.

“The body we⁣ found has rotted. It’s really heartbreaking. This is beyond‍ our own abilities,”⁣ Wai said, describing the‌ rapidly deteriorating​ condition of the bodies trapped under the wreckage.