Myanmar declares week of mourning after deadly earthquake

Myanmar’s military government announced a nationwide mourning period of one week following an earthquake that has claimed over 1,700 lives on Monday, according to a Nation TV report.

Citing Myanmar broadcaster MRTV, the announcement came after the quake struck the Sagaing region near Mandalay on Friday afternoon. During the mourning period, national flags will be flown at half-mast until April 6.

MRTV also aired footage of Myanmar and international rescue teams searching for survivors in Naypyidaw, one of the worst-hit areas.

A Myanmar fire department official acknowledged that the likelihood of survival after 72 hours is low. However, he stated that search and rescue efforts would continue throughout the night.

He also noted that foreign rescue teams were racing against time to detect any signs of life beneath the rubble.

On Sunday, Myanmar authorities reported that the death toll had risen to over 1,700, with 3,400 injured and 300 missing. However, The Wall Street Journal cited the military government on Monday as saying the death toll had climbed to 2,028.

Meanwhile, Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology reported that 36 aftershocks had occurred since Monday morning, with magnitudes ranging from 2.8 to 7.5. This followed the initial 7.9-magnitude earthquake, which struck at 12:51 pm local time on Friday.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that, as of Sunday, nearly 1,700 homes, 670 temples, 60 schools, and three bridges had been damaged.

The agency also raised concerns about the structural safety of large dams and damage to hospitals, universities, historical sites, and public infrastructure.



Margaret Harris, a spokesperson for the World Health Organisation (WHO), stated that several hospitals in Myanmar had been overwhelmed with casualties due to the earthquake.

At least three hospitals were completely non-operational, while another 22 suffered partial damage, making them unlikely to continue providing services. Myanmar authorities were battling outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera, she added.

(2025/03/31-00:00)