Death toll rises to 1644 as resistance movement announces partial ceasefire

The country’s death number from the disaster shot 1644.

The number of injuries increased to 3408, while the missing figure increased to 139.

The death toll also rises in Thailand

In neighbor Thailand, the death toll increased to 10. The earthquake shook the area of ​​the great Bangkok, the home of around 17 million people and other parts of the country.

Many places in the North reported damage, but the only victims were reported in Bangkok, the capital.

Nine of the deaths were at the site of the great height collapsed under construction near the Bangkok Chatuchak market, while 78 people were not yet counted.

Today, more heavy equipment was brought to move tons of debris, but hope was fading between friends and family.

“I was praying to have survived, but when I got here and I saw the ruin, where could they be? Naruemol Thonglek said, 45, sobbing while waiting for news about his partner, who is from Myanmar and five friends who worked on the site.

Help efforts in Myanmar hindered airport damage

In Myanmar, rescue efforts so far focus on the main cities affected by Mandalay, the city number 2 of the country, and Naypyitaw, the capital.

But despite the fact that the equipment and equipment have been flown from other nations, they are hindered by the damage to airports. The planet Labs PBC satellite photos analyzed by Associated Press show that the earthquake knocked down the air traffic control tower at the Naypyitaow International Airport as if it were its base.

It was not clear immediately if there were victims of his collapse.

Myanmar’s civil war is also an obstacle

Another important complication is the civil war that dates back to a large part of the country, including the areas affected by the earthquake. In 2001, the military seized the power of the elected Government of Licing San Suu Kyi, causing what has since become a significant armed resistance.

Government forces have lost control of much of Myanmar, and many places are incredibly dangerous or simply impossible to reach help groups.

According to the United Nations, more than 3 million people have been displaced by fighting and almost 20 million are necessary.

The interaction of politics and disaster was demonstrated on Saturday night, when the Government of National Unity of Myanmar announced a high unilateral partial fire to facilitate earthquake aid efforts.

He said that his armed wing, the people’s defense force, will implement a two -week pause in offensive military operations that begin Sunday in areas affected by the earthquake and also collaborate with international and non -governmental non -governmental organizations “to guarantee the security, transport and establishment of temporary and doctors rescue camps”, in the areas he controls.

Extensive damage in cities

The earthquake hit at noon on Friday with an epicenter not far from Mandalay, followed by several replicas, including one that measures 6.4. He sent buildings in many areas knocking down to the ground, fashed the roads and caused the bridges to collapse.

In Naypyitaw, the teams worked on Saturday to repair damaged roads, while electricity, telephony and internet services remained low during most of the city. The earthquake knocked down many buildings, including multiple units that housed government public officials, but that section of the city was blocked by the authorities on Saturday.

An initial report on the Earthquake aid efforts issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it is assigning $ 5 million from a central emergency response fund for “assistance to save lives.”

The immediate planned measures include a convoy of 17 cargo trucks that transport critical refuge and medical supplies from China that is expected to arrive on Sunday, he said.

He noticed that the severe damage or destruction of many health facilities, and warned that “a serious shortage of medical supplies is hindering the response efforts, including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, assistance devices, essential medications and tents for health workers.”

Allies that bring rescue equipment and help materials

Myanmar’s friends and neighbors have already brought rescue staff and help materials.

China and Russia are the largest weapons suppliers for the Myanmar Army, and were one of the first to intervene with humanitarian aid.

In a country where previous governments have sometimes taken to accept foreign aid, General Min Cong Hlaing, head of the military government, said Myanmar was ready to accept external assistance.

China said it has sent more than 135 rescue and expert personnel along with supplies such as medical kits and generators, and promised around $ 13.8 million in emergency help. The Emergency Ministry of Russia said it had flown in 120 rescuers and supplies, and the country’s Ministry of Health said Moscow had sent a medical team to Myanmar.

Other countries like India, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore are also sending help, and the president of the United States, Donald Trump, said Friday that Washington was going to help with the answer.

The Alto El Fuego Plan announced by the Government of the National Opposition Unit also proposed to provide health professionals loyal to their resistance movement to work with international humanitarian organizations to provide medical services and emergency rescue in areas under the control of the army, if security guarantees are provided.

The army has restricted the very necessary help efforts for the large population already displaced by war even before the earthquake.

Resistance supporters have urged help to incorporate help freely transported to areas under resistance control, so the army cannot be armed.

There were no immediate comments from the military to the announcement.

The military forces continued their attacks even after the earthquake, with three air attacks in the state of northern Kayin, also called Karenni state, and Southern Shan, which Border Mandalay State, said Dave Eubank, a former soldier of the Special Forces of the US Army. Uu. Who founded the Birm Rangers Free Rangers, a private aid organization.

Eubank told the AP that in the area in which he was operating, most villages have already been destroyed by the military, so the earthquake had little impact.

“People are in the jungle and I was in the jungle when he hit the earthquake, it was powerful, but the trees moved, that was for us, so we have not had a direct impact that is not what the Burma’s army continues to attack, even after the earthquake,” he said.

The earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, but relatively common in Myanmar.

The country sits in the Sagaing fault, a large north-south fault that separates the plate from India and the Sunday plate.

Brian Baptie, a symologist of the British Geological Survey, said the earthquake caused an intense trembling terrain in an area where the majority of the population lives in buildings built of wood and non -reinforced brick masonry.

“When you have a great earthquake in an area where there are more than one million people, many of them living in vulnerable buildings, the consequences can often be disastrous,” he said in a statement.