Mandalay: Myanmar has declared a week of national mourning as the death toll from Friday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake surpassed 2,000, with hopes diminishing for finding survivors under the rubble. National flags will be flown at half-mast until April 6, as announced by the ruling junta.

Rescue Efforts Slow as Crisis Deepens
In Mandalay, one of the worst-affected cities with over 1.7 million people, rescue efforts have begun to slow down. Survivors remain in makeshift camps in the streets, either due to damaged homes or fears of aftershocks. Many are sleeping under the open sky, with minimal supplies and shelter.

Authorities reported 2,056 deaths, with more than 3,900 injured and 270 missing. Among the casualties are three Chinese nationals and two French citizens, while 19 deaths have been confirmed in Bangkok, Thailand, where a 30-story building collapsed due to the tremors. However, with communications severely disrupted, the actual toll is expected to rise further.

Overwhelmed Hospitals and Humanitarian Concerns
The 1,000-bed Mandalay General Hospital has been evacuated, forcing medical teams to treat hundreds of patients in parking lots under makeshift shelters. Medics are struggling under intense heat, which is accelerating the decomposition of bodies, making identifications more difficult.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding, as Myanmar was already facing civil war, economic collapse, and fragile infrastructure before the disaster. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the quake a top-level emergency, urgently seeking $8 million in aid, while the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a $100 million appeal.

Myanmar Junta’s Rare Appeal for International Aid
Myanmar’s military government, which has typically resisted foreign aid, has made an unusual request for international assistance. Junta officials have thanked China, Russia, and India for their support. However, despite the crisis, airstrikes against anti-coup resistance groups continue, with reports of seven ethnic minority fighters killed in an aerial attack soon after the earthquake.

Meanwhile, in Bangkok, rescue teams continue digging through rubble, where 12 deaths have been confirmed, and at least 75 people remain missing.

The scale of devastation in Myanmar and Thailand continues to unfold, with both countries facing immense challenges in their rescue and recovery operations.