Myanmar Death Toll Rises to 1,700 After Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake

TaiwanPlus News

Rescuers in Myanmar and Thailand are racing against the clock to find survivors of Friday's massive earthquake, as the critical 72-hour window approaches.

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00:00After 60 hours trapped, a woman is pulled alive from the wreckage of a collapsed hotel

00:06in Myanmar.

00:12Three days since the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the country's second-largest city,

00:17Mandalay, rescuers are racing to locate survivors within the critical 72-hour window, as the

00:23chances after that are significantly reduced.

00:29At least 1,700 people have been confirmed dead, and there are fears that that toll will

00:33rise significantly, with the Red Cross saying the devastation here is the worst seen in

00:38Asia in more than 100 years.

00:40Many homes have been destroyed, road and bridge damaged, many children and families are still

00:47missing and traumatised.

00:49We need urgent assistance, especially for the children, who often suffer the most in

00:55this kind of situation.

00:59The international community has heeded that call, with rescue teams from China and Russia

01:03assisting on the ground, and emergency supplies and millions of dollars in aid coming in from

01:11across the globe.

01:12But it has yet to reach all the impacted areas.

01:18In a country already battered by civil war and poorly equipped to deal with such a large-scale

01:23residents are joining in the effort, digging with their bare hands.

01:28We are all fighting for our lives.

01:35We are all fighting for our lives.

01:44But rescue efforts are being hindered by powerful aftershocks, and there have also been reports

01:49that the military junta, which seized power in a coup four years ago, continued to launch

01:53airstrikes, despite opposition forces declaring a unilateral two-week ceasefire.

02:02In neighbouring Thailand, the urgency also is palpable.

02:06Rescue teams are searching through the rubble of a collapsed building in Bangkok for survivors.

02:10Eleven of the 18 people confirmed dead in Thailand were pulled from this building.

02:14We are trying to find people to help those who are still alive, because within 72 hours

02:23we will be trying to help those who are still alive.

02:2776 people are still missing beneath the debris.

02:48US military have joined the effort there, but as the window to find survivors closes,

02:53those waiting here are preparing for the worst.

02:56Dolphine Chen and Rosie Greninja for Taiwan Plus.

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