Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,471 as Rescue Operations Continue

The death toll from the massive earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, has reached 3,471, with authorities continuing to recover bodies from collapsed buildings, according to state media reports on Sunday.

The 7.7 magnitude quake also injured 4,671 people, while 214 individuals remain missing as of Saturday, April 5. Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams managing to free 653 people trapped under rubble and recover 682 bodies.

International and local aid teams have been mobilized, with UN aid chief Tom Fletcher visiting the affected regions, including Mandalay, which is near the epicenter. He described the situation as “staggering” and urged the international community to provide support to Myanmar’s survivors.

Concerns about the safety of survivors are rising, especially as many are living in the open, amid unseasonable rains and extreme heat, raising fears of disease outbreaks, such as cholera. Fletcher highlighted the “real fear of more quakes” as families endure the aftermath.

In terms of infrastructure, the Yangon-Mandalay railway and Mandalay International Airport have resumed operations after being temporarily closed due to the earthquake’s impact. Damage to the railway system, including 60 embankments and 11 bridges, as well as bent tracks, caused significant disruption, but recovery efforts are underway.

Meanwhile, neighboring Thailand has also been affected, with 24 people dead and 77 missing due to the tremors that spread across the region.