Rescuers are desperately searching for survivors more than two days after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, toppling buildings as far away as the Thai capital Bangkok and sending tremors through nearby Chinese provinces. <\/p>\n
More than 1,600 people are dead after what was the largest earthquake to hit the war-ravaged country in more than a century, authorities say. Experts fear the true death toll could take weeks to emerge. <\/p>\n
Widespread damage has been reported after the quake triggered bridges and buildings to collapse, including in Bangkok, where authorities are trying to free dozens believed to be trapped under the rubble of an under-construction high-rise. <\/p>\n
The epicenter was recorded in Myanmar\u2019s central Sagaing region, near the former royal capital Mandalay, home to around 1.5 million people, as well as multiple historic temple complexes and palaces. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, foreign aid and international rescue teams have started arriving in Myanmar after the military issued a rare plea for help. <\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s quake was <\/strong>the deadliest natural disaster to hit the country in years and comes as Myanmar reels from a civil war that since 2021 has damaged <\/strong>communication networks, battered health infrastructure and left millions without adequate food and shelter. <\/p>\n Here\u2019s what we know. <\/p>\n More than 1,600 people are dead and around 3,400 injured, Myanmar\u2019s military said on state television. Nearly 140 others remain missing. <\/p>\n Authorities expect that number to rise. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated the final death toll could surpass 10,000 people, according to early modeling. <\/p>\n In Bangkok, hundreds of miles from the epicenter, at least 17 people were killed. Of these, 10 died when an under-construction building collapsed in minutes, leaving dozens trapped under the rubble. Seven fatalities were reported elsewhere in the capital, authorities said. <\/p>\n Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Bangkok for at least 80 people who remain missing, as families gather at the site of the collapsed high-rise <\/strong>for any news of their loved ones. <\/p>\n Around 9,500 reports of building damage have been received in Bangkok, the city\u2019s governor said Sunday. Other than the collapsed tower, there have been few reports or evidence of catastrophic damage. <\/p>\n The earthquake was the most powerful to strike Myanmar in over a century, after it was struck by a 7.9-magnitude temblor in 1912 in Taunggyi, a city also in central Myanmar. <\/p>\n Aftershocks, the largest of which was a 6.7-magnitude tremor on Friday, have continued throughout the weekend, according to the USGS. <\/p>\n Massive human toll<\/h2>\n