Devastating 7.7 earthquake rocks Myanmar: Thousands affected
A tragic earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck Myanmar. A pregnant woman named Mathu Thu Lwin was pulled from the rubble after 50 hours. Unfortunately, she could not be saved and died in the hospital due to severe injuries.
What do you need to know?
- An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit Myanmar, resulting in the death of at least 1,700 people. More than 3,400 people were injured.
- Mathu Thu Lwin, a pregnant woman, was rescued from the debris after 50 hours but died in the hospital due to blood loss.
- The tremors were also felt in Thailand, China, and India, where at least 17 people lost their lives.
How did the rescue operation proceed?
On Friday, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck Myanmar. As a result, the Sky Villa residential complex in Mandalay collapsed, trapping 35-year-old Mathu Thu Lwin beneath the rubble. Rescuers promptly commenced a rescue operation. For many hours, specialists used various tools to try to reach the woman.
"We tried everything to save her," said one of the rescuers. However, Lwin lost too much blood due to a necessary leg amputation during her extraction from the rubble.
What were the effects of the earthquake?
The earthquake in Myanmar caused widespread destruction. An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 had its epicenter in Myanmar (Burma), but tremors were also felt in neighboring countries. The military junta has made a rare request for international humanitarian aid.
A state of emergency has been declared in the six most affected regions of the country: Sikong, Mandalay, Magwe, the northeastern Shan State, Naypyidaw, and Bago. The city of Mandalay, the second-largest city in Burma and closest to the epicenter, was the most devastated. The number of victims could be much higher.
