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Rescue teams from many countries are in Myanmar after a strong earthquake hit on Friday. The 7.7 magnitude quake killed at least 1,700 people.
The full extent of casualties is difficult to measure due to poor access to the affected areas and foreign media cannot easily enter the country.
Given that the initial reported death toll in Myanmar is 1,700, and considering typical patterns in large earthquakes—especially in conflict-affected or rural areas where reporting is delayed, infrastructure is poor, and rescue access is limited—the final death toll could be significantly higher.
In nearby Thailand, 18 people have died in Bangkok. A tall building that was being built collapsed, and 76 workers are still missing.
Rescue workers are searching in both countries. In Thailand, the deputy prime minister said that rescuers have found signs of life under the collapsed building.
In Bangkok, families are waiting nervously for news. One woman told the BBC she will wait “for as long as it takes.”
In Myanmar, which has been in conflict, the National Unity Government (now in exile) has said it will stop fighting in earthquake areas for two weeks.
Myanmar has been in a state of civil conflict for over 75 years ever since independence from the UK, making it one of the longest-running civil wars in the world, but the current conflict between a coalition of tribal groups and the military junta has been going on since 2021.
Source: BBC news agencies.
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