The death toll from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in central Myanmar on March 28, which also shook China and Thailand, has risen to 3,471, according to the latest estimates released Sunday by the country’s ruling military junta. These figures are 16 more than the previous Saturday.
The previous count showed 3,455 dead and 4,840 injured, with 214 missing. Sunday’s estimate lowers the number of injured to 4,671 and maintains the number of people whose whereabouts are unknown, according to China’s official news agency Xinhua, citing the official newspaper The Mirror.
Local and international rescue organizations have rescued 653 people trapped in buildings after the earthquake and recovered 682 bodies from the rubble in recent hours, according to the Burmese state newspaper.
However, media outlets such as the Democratic Voice of Burma broadcaster claim to have confirmed reports of 4,173 deaths, 6,168 injuries, and 769 missing as of last Saturday. However, figures not confirmed by the Burmese military junta.
The country has been mired in a serious crisis since the February 2021 coup d’état, carried out by the military to annul the results of the November 2020 general elections. The subsequent repression led to a civil war that has had a huge impact on the situation in the country, now worsened by the earthquake.
