About 1,700 people have been killed, over 3,400 injured, and more than 300 are still missing following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday.
Amid ongoing rescue efforts, the earthquake, which devastated several cities, destroyed buildings, roads, and bridges. Myanmar’s military government announced the scale of the destruction on Sunday.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta leader, raised the alarm over the disaster, warning that the death toll could rise as rescue missions continue.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement that Myanmar’s quake had caused extensive destruction and rising humanitarian needs.
“The destruction has been extensive, and humanitarian needs are growing by the hour,” the statement reads. “With temperatures rising and the monsoon season approaching in just weeks, there is an urgent need to stabilise affected communities before secondary crises emerge.”
Myanmar’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake sent shockwaves across the region, with its impact felt in neighboring Thailand and China.
This comes amid ongoing political instability, which has escalated since the ouster of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.