Bangkok [Thailand], March 30 : Search and rescue operations continue outside JJ Mall Chatuchak in Thailand's Bangkok on Sunday following the collapse of a 30-storey under-construction building triggered by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday.
According to CNN, at least 10 people have reportedly lost their lives in this disaster in Bangkok, which is located about 1,000 kilometres from the epicentre of the earthquake. Moreover, more than 100 others are feared to be trapped under the rubble of the collapsed building, CNN reported.
In response to the disaster, Thailand has sent 55 military personnel and six rescue dogs, along with essential equipment such as cranes and diggers, to assist in the ongoing relief efforts in Myanmar, as per Al Jazeera. Thai authorities are actively searching for survivors in the wreckage.
According to CNN, citing Thailand's National Institute for Emergency Medicine, the building was made as a space for the State Audit Office.
Thai authorities are scouring the wreckage for survivors after detecting signs of life, while locals distribute food and relief materials to aid victims.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, addressing an emergency meeting on Friday, said, "The country has returned to normalcy," noting that only the under-construction tower collapsed, sparing other buildings in Bangkok, as reported by CNN. However, over 2,000 reports of structural cracks have prompted inspections of 700 buildings across the city.
Meanwhile, the official death toll from the 7.7-magnitude powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday has surpassed 1,600, the New York Times reported on Saturday, citing the country's military leaders.
According to the New York Times, rescue efforts continue to find survivors amidst the devastation following the earthquake, which hit near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city.
The rescue teams, working under difficult conditions with downed power lines and damaged infrastructure, are facing significant challenges as the military regime keeps a tight grip on information.
The death toll is expected to rise, with preliminary estimates from the US Geological Survey suggesting that it could exceed 10,000, as reported by the New York Times.
The earthquake has sparked concerns about the ability of Myanmar's military rulers to retain control of the country, which has been embroiled in a civil war since the military coup in 2021, as per the New York Times.
Prior to the disaster, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were already facing severe shortages of food and shelter due to the ongoing conflict.
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