Myanmar Earthquake: 1,644 killed, over 3,400 injured; rescue operation underway

Following a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, country's military-led government said in a statement on Saturday that 1,644 people have been found dead while over 3,400 are injured, with 30 others missing. Earlier, Myanmar's Junta suggested the numbers could still rise, saying “detailed figures are still being collected." Several buildings collapsed, roads cracked, and other horrors are seen via different pictures and videos showing the aftereffects of the deadly quake. The earthquake also shook neighboring Thailand, killing at least ten people and injuring several. 

The earthquake struck midday Friday with an epicentre not far from Mandalay, Myanmar's second biggest city.



"The death toll and injuries are expected to rise," the head of Myanmar’s military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said. 

The rescue operation is underway in both Myanmar and Bangkok; several bodies and injured people have been recovered from the debris. Near Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market, a 33-story building under construction, with a crane on top, crumpled into a cloud of dust, and onlookers could be seen screaming and running in a video posted on social media.

As the rescue work continues, more heavy equipment was brought in to move the tons of rubble, but hope was fading among friends and family members of the missing that they would be found alive.