Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to over 1,640 with dozens missing in Bangkok
The death toll from a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has swollen to 1,644, military officials say.
The tremor, which tore though Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, restored homes, businesses, Buddhist monsatires and roads alike.
The country’s government, led by a military junta, said 3,408 people have been injured. The figure is expected to rise as rescuers wade through the rubble, with some putting the true death toll at 10,000.
A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar, which is in the throes of a prolonged and bloody civil war.
The earthquake also shook neighbouring Thailand some 600 miles away, killing eight people and injuring 26 at three construction sites, including one where a partially built high-rise collapsed in Bangkok.