The death toll from the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday has reportedly climbed to 2,719, according to the country’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday.
Over 4,521 people have been injured, and more than 440 are still missing, Chinese broadcaster CGTN reported.
The deadly quake has prompted Myanmar to declare seven days of national mourning. With hundreds still unaccounted for, the number of casualties is expected to rise further.
In neighboring Thailand, which also felt the impact of the quake, authorities confirmed 20 deaths and dozens still missing.
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday urged Myanmar’s military leadership to allow immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to affected areas and to remove any barriers to emergency relief operations.
The country also observed a one-minute silence on Tuesday in memory of the victims.
Several countries and international organizations—including Russia, India, China, Thailand, the United Nations, and the UAE—have dispatched search and rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Myanmar.
Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif spoke with Myanmar’s junta chief on Tuesday, expressing condolences and pledging to send approximately 70 tons of relief supplies, according to Pakistan’s state-run APP news agency.
According to local reports, around 700 Muslims were among the dead after several mosques collapsed during prayer time on Friday. — Agencies via SG
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