Over 1,000 Dead in Myanmar. What Eyewitnesses Say About Earthquake

Authorities in Myanmar have reported 1,002 dead and 2,376 injured as a result of the devastating earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.7 and 6.4 that struck on March 28. This information was reported by BBC.

The casualty numbers, including injuries from the earthquake, were provided by AFP, referencing the military authorities of the country, who also noted that this figure may increase as the debris removal operations continue.

BBC reported that rescue teams from Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, indicated immense damage. Rescue operations continued throughout the night despite numerous aftershocks.

The first and more powerful earthquake occurred on Friday afternoon at a depth of 10 kilometers in central Myanmar around 12:50 local time. The second quake struck approximately 12 minutes later, with the epicenter located 16 kilometers northwest of the city of Sagaing, near Mandalay, a city with a population of 1.2 million. This area is situated about 100 kilometers north of the capital Naypyidaw.

"The number of those affected keeps rising; we are short on doctors and nurses," said doctor Cho Zin to reporters.

A rescuer from Mandalay told the BBC Burmese service that "most buildings have collapsed" in the city. "The scene in Mandalay when we began the rescue operation was horrific," he described, noting how people "ran through the streets, screaming and crying." "We had to rescue individuals from the rubble. The main hospital in Mandalay is nearly overwhelmed." According to the rescuer, many earthquake victims also suffered heart attacks. The hospital building itself sustained damage.

One resident of Mandalay shared with the BBC that the ground shook for about 10 seconds. "My entire house crumbled before my eyes. I couldn't breathe, but later I managed to scream for help," he recalled. "Just seconds after my relatives pulled me from the rubble, another earthquake hit, and the building we fled to collapsed. I was so scared and in pain that I couldn't walk, so my father had to drag me."

He mentioned that out of seven people in his household, only two women survived, one of whom later died. "My grandmother, aunt, and uncle have not yet been found—they are still under the rubble. The chances of them surviving are zero," he recounted.

A resident of Yangon told CNN that the tremors were felt for several minutes: "The shocks were very strong and lasted three to four minutes. The house I live in began to sway." He noted that the internet remained functional, but making calls was impossible for 30 minutes after the earthquake.

A Mandalay resident told Reuters, "When everything started shaking, we ran out of the house. I watched a five-story building collapse before my eyes. Everyone in the city is outside now; no one dares to return to the buildings." Witness Htet Naing U recounted to reporters that a tea shop in Mandalay collapsed, trapping several people inside.