Death Toll Predicted to Rise Significantly

Welcome back to our ongoing coverage of the aftermath following the devastating Myanmar earthquake. This disaster has claimed the lives of at least 1,700 individuals, injured over 3,400 more, and led to at least 300 being reported as missing.

Here are the latest updates:

• Myanmar’s ruling junta said in a statement Sunday afternoon that about 1,700 people were confirmed dead so far, about 3,400 injured and around 300 more missing.
• The true scale of the disaster remains unclear in the isolated military-ruled state, and the toll is expected to rise significantly.
• Much of the rescue effort is being conducted by residents removing rubble by hand as many of the worst-hit areas have still not been reached by official agencies.

We are pausing our live coverage for now

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UK gives £10million in aid to Myanmar

The UK government has pledged a £10million “life-saving aid” package to Myanmar.

Efforts are concentrated on supporting humanitarian aid in “the most severely affected regions of the earthquake,” with a primary emphasis on providing essentials like food, water, medical supplies, and shelter.

Baroness Jennifer Chapman, the minister of state for development, stated: “The UK is providing immediate, life-saving aid to Myanmar’s people in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake.”

“UK-funded local partners are already mobilising a humanitarian response on the ground, and this £10 million package will bolster their efforts.

“I offer my deepest sympathies to the people of Myanmar after this tragic event.”

Rebel group announces ceasefire in Myanmar

Myanmar’s rebel group and shadow National Unity Government, which has been fighting against the ruling military, has announced a partial ceasefire to facilitate earthquake relief efforts.

An announcement issued Saturday night said its armed wing, the People’s Defense Force (PDF), will implement a two-week pause in offensive military operations starting Sunday in earthquake-affected areas.

It said it would collaborate with the UN and non-governmental organizations to ensure security, transportation, and the establishment of temporary rescue and medical camps in the areas it controls.

Horror satellite pictures reveal the extent of damage

A satellite picture released by Maxar Technologies on March 29 shows collapsed and destroyed shacks and buildings in Mandalay, Myanmar.

Another image shows the collapsed Inwa Bridge over the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay.

Death toll rises to 1,644

Myanmar’s ruling military said Saturday on state television that the confirmed death toll from a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake rose to 1,644, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of the scores of buildings that collapsed when it struck near the country’s second-largest city.

The new total is a sharp rise compared to the 1,002 total announced just hours earlier, underlining the difficulty of confirming casualties over a widespread region and the likelihood that the numbers will continue to grow from Friday’s quake.

The number of injured increased to 3,408, while the missing figure rose to 139.

Rescue efforts are underway, especially in the major stricken cities of Mandalay, the country’s second major city, and Naypyitaw, the capital.

But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.